Maker
Johann Michael Jahn (American, born Prussia, 1816–1883)American, born Prussia, 1816–1883
CultureAmerican
Titles
- Wardrobe
Datec. 1860–1870
Made inNew Braunfels, Texas, United States
MediumBlack walnut; pine and bone
Dimensions92 × 66 × 22 in. (233.7 × 167.6 × 55.9 cm)
Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of William J. Hill
Object numberB.2007.25
Current Location
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
Texas Alcove And Hall
On view
Explore Further
Department
Bayou BendObject Type
This wardrobe is attributed to cabinetmaker Johann Michael Jahn based on an identical example that descended in his family. Its restrained ornament highlights book-matched panels of figured walnut on the doors and a masterfully executed cornice. The wardrobe can be easily disassembled; the cornice lifts off and the doors, sides, and back panels lift out of the base.
Adapted from Lonn Taylor and David B. Warren. Texas Furniture: The Cabinetmakers and Their Work, 1840–1880. Vol. 1, rev. ed. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 2012.
ProvenanceHouse in New Braunfels, Texas; collected by [Ray Rubin, New Braunfels]; purchased by William J. Hill (1934–2018), Houston; given to MFAH, 2007.
Exhibition History"A Texas Legacy: Selections from the William J. Hill Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, October 2, 2016–January 2, 2017.
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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Johann Michael Jahn
c. 1855
Black walnut; black walnut veneer, pine, and modern upholstery
B.2010.8
c. 1700–1730
Black walnut, undetermined burl veneer, and eastern white pine; eastern white pine, black walnut, yellow-poplar, cherry, Cuban oyster wood (Gymnanthes lucida), and chestnut
B.69.42