Armchair

Status

Not on view

Label Text

In their initial efforts to furnish the home of George Washington, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association sought out a variety of historical relics as well as original Washington objects. When the Vice Regent for Illinois, Elizabeth Willard Barry, petitioned the Lafayette family to send any artifacts of their "illustrious ancestors," Edmond Lafayette sent this armchair or bergère from the "favorite chateau" of his grandfather, the Marquis de Lafayette. It was exhibited for many years at Mount Vernon in tribute to Washington's dear friend and protégé.

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Datec. 1787-1790

Maker Gilles Hyacinthe Vinatier (French, active 1785 - 1799)

Geography Made - France

Medium/TechniqueBeech (primary), paint

DimensionsOverall (H x W x D): 37 3/8 in. x 25 3/4 in. x 23 3/8 in. (94.93 cm x 65.41 cm x 59.37 cm)

Credit LineGift of Edmond de Lafayette, 1882

Object numberH-35

DescriptionWhite- and gold-painted and carved Louis XVI armchair or bergère with upholstered rectangular back, arms, sides, and trapezoidal seat on four turned, tapered, and fluted legs with spool-turned tops and cylindrical feet; crest rail, stiles, and sloped backs of the straight arms are molded with a central frieze flanked by fillets on their fronts and sides; scrolled arm terminals on concave-curved supports above fluted blocks; arms and arm supports molded with two half-rounds at center flanked by grooves and rounded sides; front and side seat rails are molded with a central frieze flanked by fillets and square blocks at the stiles, those at front with inset two-tiered, sixteen- petaled flowers or rosettes and those at back are faceted; back of crest rail, stay rail, and stiles left plain.

Upholstered with peach silk damask outlined with a complementary light peach or cream gimp.

Published ReferencesMarion Day Iverson, THE American Chair: 1630-1890 (New York: Hastings House Publishers, 1957), 210.

MarkingsMaker's stamp on underside of front seat rail: "G H VINATIER" .

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