Chair

William Kent (1685-1748)

Chiswick House

1730

When Chiswick House reopened to the public in 1958 following a decade of restoration, it contained no furniture and English Heritage pursued the purchase of original Chiswick pieces rather than simply commissioning replicas. The Chiswick inventory of 1770 lists 'Twelve Mahogany Elbow Chairs' standing in the gallery. The architectural design, with pedimented back, acanthus, coin and fish-scale ornament, is consistent with other furniture supplied to Burlington and is attributed to Kent. Burlington, a devotee of the art of architecture, chose this pattern for temple-pedimented and truss-supported chairs in honour of Inigo Jones, who had introduced true Roman ornament to interior decoration and furnishing.

• Medium: carved mahogany
• Dimensions: 93 x 61 x 48 cm
• Art Fund Grant: £3000 ( Total: £14,000)
• ArtFunded in: 1997

Provenance

Supplied to Chiswick House c.1730; removed c.1892; private collection

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