1769

Chair

This side chair was one of a set commissioned by John and Elizabeth Lloyd Cadwalader for their opulent Philadelphia home. Much of the furniture in the Cadwalader's house reflected Mrs. Cadwalader's preference for the English Rococo style. This chair's proportions, the design of the carved splat, and the shape of the seat all adhere to the prevailing Philadelphia style of the mid-eighteenth century, while the hairy paw carved feet and over-the-rail upholstery suggest the special nature of the commission. The chairs had two sets of loose covers-a common cover in "furniture check" or gingham, and the blue silk cover with long, silk fringe reproduced here.