{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121810"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121810/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER1736/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER1736/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011ER1736","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1750","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1749","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1748","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1747","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1746","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1745","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1744","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1743","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1742","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1741","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1740","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1739","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1738","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1737","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018LC8804","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121810/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121810","accessionNumber":"7191-1860","objectType":"Folding chair","titles":[{"title":"Savonorola chair","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"'X-frame' chairs were originally folding campaign stools, used by Roman Generals. They were adopted by emperors and potentates, although, by 1550, they had become less symbolic of power and authority than they had been in earlier centuries. This example appears to have been created in the 19th century using parts from 16th century chairs. It formerly belonged to Jules Soulages of Toulouse (1812-1856), very much a pioneer in collecting decorative arts of the Renaissance. This type of chair was much copied from about 1880, when such tastes had become more fashionable, and most surviving examples date from about then.\r\n\r\nOn loan to National Trust Elizabethan House Museum.","physicalDescription":"Folding X frame armchair with multiple S-shape ribs and linking rods; the hinged back panel with scrolling outline and low relief foliate carving, and carved with a central, circular dish containing a cartouche containing in turn a shield of arms with a standing griffin with a pillar, with a crown above its head, and flanked by two running dogs. With ball handles, and loose handle rings, the arms carved with stylized palmette ornament in low relief. The foremost S shaped ribs carved in low relief with foliate ornament. On two sled feet with lion's paw toes.\n\n\t\n<u>Modifications (examined 2008)</u>\n4 rods replaced\r\nPR arm ring missing (both pommels seem integral to the arms, the single surviving ring seems original)\r\nPR end of mobile back piece scarfed in\r\nRear end of both arms replaced\r\nPR rear foot tipped\nSeat ribs (fixed PR): decorated front/new/new/4 old/new/3 old\r\nSeat ribs (fixed PL): new/new/old/new/5 old/new/old\r\n\r\nThe S ribs seem of a piece; some wedges have been inserted. Note that the front and rearmost ribs are pegged into the arm,  while the penultimate front and rear ribs are pegged into the foot.\r\nThe arms lack a mortise for the rearmost S rib, demonstrating apparently that the feet and arms came from different chairs originally.\r\nThe back with a standing griffin with a pillar, with a crown above head - flanked by two running dogs\r\n\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"walnut","id":"AAT12476"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Walnut, with carved back panel","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2011ER1736","2011ER1750","2011ER1749","2011ER1748","2011ER1747","2011ER1746","2011ER1745","2011ER1744","2011ER1743","2011ER1742","2011ER1741","2011ER1740","2011ER1739","2011ER1738","2011ER1737","2018LC8804"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"NTEH (LOAN)","id":"THES50020"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Folding chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"north"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1800-1840","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1840-12-31"},"association":{"text":"constructed","id":"AAT54608"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1550-1600","earliest":"1550-01-01","latest":"1600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"7193-1860","id":"O138281"},"association":"Pair"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"105","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"69.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"59","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Seat 54cm high. Back panel 18-23mm thick","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought for £15 from the Soulanges collection. RF 52/2142\r\nPair to 7193-1860\r\nOn loan to The Elizabethan House Museum, Great Yarmouth, from 1954.\r\n\r\nThis object was formerly part of the collections of Jules Soulages (1812 - 1856), and after being exhibited at Marlborough House between December 1856 and January 1857 was acquired by the South Kensington Museum for £15 in 1861,","historicalContext":"See Clive Wainwight, 'Models of Inspiration' in Country Life, June 9, 1988 pp 266-267 which discusses the acquisition of Soulages' collection.\r\n\r\nThe 'X' frame chair is very much associated, in the eyes of posterity, with the Middle Ages and Italian Renaissance. Dealers of the 19th and 20th centuries referred to them as \"Savonarola\" chairs, named after Fra Girolamo Savonarola (1452 - 1498), who is unlikely to have ever sat on such a seat!  Large numbers of these chairs were made from about 1880 and found their way into middle-class households in Italy and throughout Europe, in keeping with the Renaissance Revival fashions, almost to the point where they became something of a cliché. Unfortunately many 'x' frame chairs were acquired by museums at this time under the illusion that they were authentic. \r\n\r\nBy the 16th century, chairs were more widespread than in previous centuries and they had  lost much of the hierarchichal connotations that they had in the Middle Ages. It is noteworthy that as late as 1418 even the Medici had only six chairs in their residence in Florence. Although this example follows the 'x' frame pattern, long associated with Roman Emperors and Medieval princes, by about 1550 chairs were no longer entirely the preserve of the master of the house, and larger numbers were appearing in inventories. By 1609, even the hall porter in the household of Amerigo di Luca Pitti had two large cane-seated chairs (<i>seggiolaccie alla pistolese</i>) at his disposal.","briefDescription":"Italian, walnut, 16th century parts, constructed 1800-1840.  57/762","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pollen, J. H. Ancient and Modern Furniture & Woodwork in the South Kensington Museum (London, 1874), p.99"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"J.C.Robinson, Catalogue of the Soulages Collection: being a descriptive inventory of a collection of works of decorative art, formerly in the possession of M. Jules Soulages of Toulouse; now, by permission of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, exhibited to the public at the Museum of Ornamental Art, Marlborough House (London 1856), no. 633, p. 169"}],"production":"Parts made 1550-1600, the chair constructed probably 1800-1840","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Label text c.1930 while displayed in Tapestry Court: South-West Block. East Side. [gallery 44 ‘East Central Court’ c.1909-1952]\r\n\r\nFOLDING-CHAIR.\r\nCarved oak.\r\nArms possibly those of a Perugian family.\r\nPERUGIAN(?); about 1560.\r\nFormerly in the Soulages Collection.\r\n7191-1860.\r\n","date":{"text":"1930","earliest":"1930-01-01","latest":"1930-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["7191-1860"],"accessionNumberNum":"7191","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1860,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2021MU8523"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-11","recordCreationDate":"2006-03-10","availableToBook":false}}