Images(2)

Side Chair

Date1800-1810

Attributed to John and Hugh Finlay

Painted by Francis Guy

OriginAmerica, Maryland, Baltimore

MediumWood (possibly Maple), oak and paint

DimensionsOH: 29 3/4"; OW: 17 1/2"; SD: 15 1/2"

Credit LineGift of Bridget and Al Ritter

Object number2013-78

DescriptionBlack side chair chair with hand painted red and gold accents and rush seat (missing). The crest rail has an inverted curve on its left and right sides that rise to a central, rectangular plateau. A medallion on the crest rail depicts a country estate and is flanked by a gold, classical design that moves down the inverted curves to the ears. There are three banisters: the center banister has a clipped diamond shape at its top and narrows to a central circle and then continues to taper down to the stay rail; the two outer banisters are each carved as half of the center banister meaning that they are topped by a half, clipped diamond shape that tapers to a half circle in the middle of the banister. The rounded carving in the middle of the three banisters is painted gold. The two stiles are rounded from the crest rail down to the stay rail where they become rectangular in shape. After the seat railing, the stile once again becomes rounded. Gold vines are painted along the upper portion of the stiles and a medallion is painted on each rectangular portion of the stile between the stay rail and the rear seat rail. The stay rail is rectangular in shape and has a diamond pattern with flowers running toward and central red painted rectangle that is decorated with a gold vine. A copy of this pattern is seen on the lathe covering the front seat rail. The front two legs of the chair are turned at the top and taper down to flat feet. Gold vines runs vertically down the front two legs and are flanked on each side by two straight gold lines. There are six stretchers: two on the left and right sides, one on the back, and one on the front. Five of them are rounded and unadorned. The front stretcher is narrow on each end and widens to two circles that flank a central vase-shaped carving. The circles are painted with gold medallions and the central vase-shape is decorated with a gold diamond. Each component of the chair has round mortise and tenon joints except for the bottom left stretcher which has been nailed in to place (repair).
Label TextSeveral chairs in the Colonial Williamsburg collection are similar in style to this Baltimore painted side chair. As a study piece, this chair serves to showcase construction methods, which are easily visible, as well as stylistic motifs that connect this chair with the Finlay shop of Baltimore, Maryland. John and Hugh Finlay were leading manufacturers of painted furniture in the Baltimore area during the nineteenth century making their work particularly relevant to the study of other painted furniture from this era. The attribution of this chair to the Finlay shop is based on the extreme similarities between its form and painted decoration to that of two chairs possibly from the same set in the Baltimore Museum of Art collection. Based on the provenance of other chairs from the Finlay shop it is possible that the painting was done by Francis Guy. This painting is believed to depict the Baltimore house, "Belvedere", which was owned by John Eager Howard (1752-1827). Howard was Governor of Maryland from 1788-1791, and a United States Senator from 1796-1803. Another chair from the same set is still owned in a private collection.