Pair of neoclassical footstools,
ca. 1830
Artist unidentified
American
2023-342 a-b
This elegant sofa and pair of chairs were likely produced in Philadelphia around 1830, by a maker with a Germanic background. Their design exemplifies the second, monumental phase of Empire period furniture (ca. 1815–40), characterized by large, solid forms, compartmentalized decoration, a mix of curvilinear and rectilinear components, and frequent use of light-colored wood—a hallmark of furniture produced around the same time in Germanic regions from Scandinavia to Austria, known as Biedermeier. The pieces are constructed of curly maple, typical of Philadelphia neoclassical furniture after 1830, when the popularity of local types of wood—over dark imported mahogany—substantially increased.
Information
Title
Pair of neoclassical footstools
Dates
ca. 1830
Maker
Medium
Curly maple with modern upholstery
Dimensions
each: 18.7 × 35.9 × 26.7 cm (7 3/8 × 14 1/8 × 10 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Stuart P. Feld, Class of 1957, and Sue K. Feld
Object Number
2023-342 a-b
Place Made
North America, United States, Pennsylvania, probably Philadelphia
Materials
Thompson family, Wilmington (DE). Stuart P. Feld and Sue K. Feld; donated to the Princeton University Art Museum, 2023.
