{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O321376"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O321376/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HB2664/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HB2664/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HB2664","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HB2665","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014HB2666","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HN9569","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O321376/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O321376","accessionNumber":"7201:1-1860","objectType":"Sgabello chair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Extravagantly carved chairs like these were particularly associated with Venice but became popular all over Europe. They have long been known as sgabelli,  ultimately derived from the word <i>scabellum</i>  (Latin for 'stool'). In Venice they  often stood in sets along the walls of the portego. This was a long room, bright  with reflected natural light or candlelight that was used for family celebrations,  display and hospitality. Here the chairs could be moved around, and seat- cushions added as occasion demanded.\r\n\r\nThis sgabello was one of about 35 belonging to Jules Soulages  (1803-1856), a lawyer from Toulouse, whose collection was bought piecemeal by  this museum, after being exhibited at Marlborough House between December 1856 and January 1857. Many pieces, including this example, were heavily restored, or made up of a mixture of original and replacement parts.","physicalDescription":"Carved chair of sgabello type, the panelled back carved with scrolling leafwork between caryatid stiles, the front with a cartouche bearing an eagle badge (for Bagnani?), between two caryatids.\r\n\r\nThe curved back piece consists of two triangular floating panels with scrolling leafwork on a punched background within a framework of stiles (caryatids with bead necklaces, and swag of fruit and flowers, on a scroll ‘leg’, and foot in the form of a bearded head), a muntin (moulded, and with carved lobe motif), a top rail carved with alternating flower heads and dragon head terminals, which supports a crest section with scrolls centred on an angel head. The back is plain on its reverse saved for ogee mouldings on the stiles and muntin.\r\n\r\nThe front support is vase shaped, and carved in low relief with a central cartouche (topped by a mask) bearing a badge (a crowned eagle with wings outstretched). The cartouche is centred between two winged caryatids with bead necklaces, linked by a swag of fruits. Along the top runs gadrooning below acanthus. The twin feet are decorated with scrolls, leaf ornament and berries. \r\n\r\nThe back support is shaped to match the outline of the front support, but is otherwise plain on both surfaces.\r\n\r\nThe seat is formed from a board of lobed outline (made up of two glued boards), pierced at the back to receive the seat back. A central, circular recess with flower head motif, bordered with leaf and dart has a wide, lobed border of bound C scrolls, which are repeated in an extension behind the seat-back. The seat edge is carved with fluting and tongue.\r\n\r\nThe two matching side rails are cut on the underside in an ogee arch, but are otherwise plain. \r\n\r\nStructure\r\nThe chair consists of four boards (back, seat, back support and front support)  and two short reinforcing rails, which are pegged together. The front and back  supports are shallow-morticed, then pegged (and probably glued) onto the side rails, and the seat is pegged onto the rails. The back piece is jointed through the seat by 3 dowel prolongations of the stiles (presumed to be modern repairs). \r\n\r\nThe carving  has been carried out with a variety of chisels and gouges.\r\n\r\nFinish\r\nThick dark varnish covers all the exposed areas. \r\n\r\nReplacements parts and interventions\r\nOn this example the back and possibly the seat appear to be 16th century, while the other parts are probably 19th century. Some softwood infill on the underside of the seat.\r\n\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"walnut","id":"AAT12476"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Walnut, carved","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2014HB2664","2014HB2665","2014HB2666","2015HN9569"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342246"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342246"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES342246"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sgabello chair","id":""}],[{"text":"Sgabello chair support","id":""}],[{"text":"Sgabello chair support","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably Veneto"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1550-1600","earliest":"1550-01-01","latest":"1600-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"With some parts probably 19th century"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"121.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"54","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"54","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought for £20 from the Soulages collection; apparently a pair to 7199-1860. \"Chair. Carved chestnut wood. The support in front carved with a shield of arms flanked by terminal female figures, with a festoon; the back fan-shaped, with foliage decoration, and also flanked by terminal figures. Italian (Venice). About 1560.\"\n\r\nCirculation dept. 22/6229\n\nMany similar chairs first recorded in the 19th century appear to have been heavily restored, or made up of a mixture of old and new pieces, as here.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sgabello chair, Italian, 1550-1600, carved walnut","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Naomi Yin Yin Szeto, The Extraordinary in the Ordinary. Chairs for Viewing the World Through Time. Hong Kong, 2014, p. 46.  Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 2014, to which the chair was lent."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"John Hungerford Pollen, Ancient & Modern Furniture & Woodwork (London: George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode, 1874), 107.\r\n“7201. ’60. CHAIR. Carved chestnut wood. The support in front is carved with a shield of arms flanked by terminal female figures, with a festoon ; the back fan-shaped, with foliage decoration, and also flanked by terminal figures. Italian. About 1560. H. 3 ft. 6 in., W. 1 ft. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20l.\r\nThe shield is that of the family of Bagnani of Florence. The rudeness, however, of many of these armorial shields renders exact attribution difficult. Italian heraldry is so far puzzling that any study of Italian armoury will show the number of families that adopted the same arms, and the minute changes which made the differences. The eagle is generally to be understood as the cognizance of the Empire. It descended, or professed to descend, from the Holy Roman Empire which represented the old Imperial power derived from Rome. Several foreign Italian families claimed the Imperial arms in one form or another. Those of Este and Gonzaga were amongst the most powerful.”\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Frederick Litchfield,<i> Illustrated History of Furniture from the Earliest to the Present Time</i>.  4th ed., London and New York: Truslove, Hanson and Comba Ltd., 1899, illustrated p. 56."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["7201:1-1860","7201:2-1860","7201:3-1860"],"accessionNumberNum":"7201","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1860,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Sgabello chair","Sgabello chair support [1]","Sgabello chair support [2]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-22","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}