{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O112468"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O112468/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF8632/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF8632/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BF8632","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O112468","accessionNumber":"1995-1900","objectType":"Chair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The flowing, voluptuous curves of this chair seem to create movement, calling to mind the amorphic shapes found in nature. In the years around 1900 a large number of young European designers sought to use materials commonly thought of as rigid – wood, glass and metals – in innovative ways. They imaginatively blended and adapted historical styles such as 18th-century French Rococo, with its shell and flower motifs, with Far Eastern and folk influences. The style became known as l’Art Nouveau, or ‘New Art’. It was seen at its highest state of development at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900.\r\n\r\nThis chair is one of the items exhibited at the Paris exhibition. The artist Louis Bigaux designed it for the well-known manufacturer and retailer Maison Bagués. Bigaux’s work was unusual in comparison with that of other designers working in the Art Nouveau style because he both understood and harnessed the production possibilities of machines. Many artists designed for hand manufacture, but Bigaux’s designs were often mass-produced and therefore cheaper. They were well adapted to a bourgeois clientele searching for elegant yet affordable furniture.\r\n\r\nThis chair formed part of a suite of furniture, which otherwise comprised a table, armchair and stool. They are all now in the V&A’s collection (Museum nos. 1993-1900, 1994-1900 and 1996-1900).","physicalDescription":"A chair of carved and turned pearwood, with mounts of gilt brass and upholstered seat and back panel. The front legs are turned and carved, with gilt-brass foot mounts and cappings. The back legs are raked sideways and are sinuous in form. Two diagonal struts, similar in form to the back legs, unite the front feet with the underside of the centre of the front seat rail. The two back legs, also with gilt-brass foot mounts, are united by an arched stretcher and the stretchers joining the legs on each side are serpentine in form. The seat is D-shaped in plan (the rounded edge around the back and sides). In the chair back two serpentine stiles support a deep panel which is arched on the top edge, with gilt-brass capping finials. The upholstered seat and back are now covered in yellow velvet.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bigaux, Louis","id":"A5657"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Bagués, E.","id":"A5658"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Maison Bagués","id":"A14603"},"association":{"text":"makers","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Maison Bagués","id":"A14603"},"association":{"text":"retailers","id":"AAT25246"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pearwood","id":"x34734"},{"text":"gilt-brass","id":"x38746"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"turned","id":"AAT53158"},{"text":"upholstered","id":"AAT231992"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved and turned pearwood; mounts of gilt brass,  velvet upholstery","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[{"text":"Art Nouveau","id":"AAT21430"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006BF8632"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342289"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1900","earliest":"1895-01-01","latest":"1904-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sir George Donaldson","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"91.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"39","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"38","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measurements taken from Departmental catalogue.  Not checked on object","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Exhibited at the Paris Exhibition, 1900","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Of carved and turned pearwood, with gilt-brass mounts; upholstery of yellow velvet","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Donaldson, George,  The Victoria and Albert Museum. Gift of \"New Art\" Furniture for Circulation. The Magazine of Art, 1901, pp. 466-471 (illus.)"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["1995-1900"],"accessionNumberNum":"1995","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1900,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-10-22","recordCreationDate":"2005-05-27","availableToBook":true}}