{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O55022"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O55022/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE7151/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BE7151/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BE7151","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FP7339","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FR1273","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FR3944","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FR3947","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU1335","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LK4254","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O55022/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O55022","accessionNumber":"W.42-1946","objectType":"Armchair","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This giltwood armchair originally formed part of a large suite, of at least seventeen armchairs and two settees. Such suites furnished the grand drawing rooms of the aristocracy, especially in their London houses. The armchairs and settees would typically have been covered in a rich silk damask, often matching the room's curtains or the fabric on the walls; and they were more often admired than used. This chair is unusual in having two different tones of gilding: some of the carved ornament, including the husks on the legs, has a greenish tint, contrasting with the yellower gilt background.","physicalDescription":"Carved and gilt wood, with upholstered seat, back, and arms.  Wavy top-rail, with central bust facing left in circular medallion flanked by leafy sprays.  Padded arms with scrolled ends resting on recurved supports with bended and fluted decoration.  Seat frame decorated front and sides with fluted frieze border, that in front centred on an oblong panel containing a Greek vase.  Tapering square legs with husks chains in counter-sunk relief.  Modern silk covering.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":"Attributed to the workshop of John Linnell.  "}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"upholstering","id":"AAT231992"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved and gilt wood, possibly mahogany","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[{"text":"Neoclassical","id":"AAT21477"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006BE7151","2012FP7339","2012FR1273","2012FR3944","2012FR3947","2017JU1335","2019LK4254"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES343334"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Armchair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1765-1770","earliest":"1765-01-01","latest":"1770-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Ministry of Works","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"41","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"25","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from green books; not checked (8/1/2004)","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"One of a set of 1 settee and 6 armchairs bought by the Ministry of Works on Museum advice, repaired at the Museum, and recovered at the instance of the Ministry for diplomatic use, this chair being given by the Ministry to the museum.  The five armchairs and a settee of this set are at Downing Street (as of 1980).\r\n\r\nRP MA/1/P2269 Nominal File Ministry of Works Part X 1940--1946 records the purchase of this chair. The first reference to it is a receipt for the collection by the Ministry of Works from 'Mr Bert Crowther, Syon Lodge, Br[...] Corner (Between Brentford and Isleworth)', of '1, 7'0  Adams Settee + 2 Cushions / 6 Elbow Chairs', on 15 April 1946, and delivery to the V&A on same day. \r\nMemo by W. A. T[horpe], 29/4/1946, 'Bought by M. of Works for 10 Downing Street, and to be regilt at Museum on condition that one of them is given to the Museum.'\r\nFurther correspondence records that after regilding the suite (6 chairs, 1 settee and 2 bolsters) was reupholstered by A. E. Chapman & Co., 32 Crouch Hill, Stroud Green, N4 (collected by Chapman's on 16 October; the bulk of the finished suite delivered by Chapman's 21 October; and the single armchair delivered by Chapman's to the Museum on 29 October 1946).\n\nThe chair was originally part of a larger suite of at least eighteen armchairs, two settes and a small settee with a matching fie-screen made for the 2nd Earl of Halifax (d.1771) for Stanstead Park, Sussex. (now demolished).\nSee: Christie's New York, 23 November 2010. The Stanstead Park Suite. Lots 105-108","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Armchair of gilded wood, with neo-classical ornament on the legs, seat rail and the frame of the medallion-shaped back with arched toprail centreing on a medallion; upholstery of striped silk. ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hayward, Helena and Pat Kirkham, <u>William and John Linnell. Eighteenth Century London Furniture Makers</u> (London: Studio Vista/Christie's, 1980), p. 83 and fig. 84.  See also fig. 83 for the drawing associated with this chair. "},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Tomlin, Maurice, <u>Catalogue of Adam Period Furniture</u> (London: HMSO for the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1972), cat. no. n/9, pp. 110-111."}],"production":"This armchair was attributed to John Linnell by Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, on the basis of comparison with a watercolour design, V&A, E.78-1929 (Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham, \"William and John Linnell (London, 1980, figs 83--85). The chief point of resemblance is the presence of a portrait medallion in the top rail; otherwise the chair and the design differ in virtually every detail, and are of only loosely comparable form.\r\nIf the two-tone gilding is original, this could be a clue to the maker. There appears to be no record of John Linnell using two-tone gilding.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"ARMCHAIR\r\nENGLISH; about 1775\r\nGilded wood\r\n\r\nAfter a design by John Linnell (d.1796).","date":{"text":"pre October 2000","earliest":null,"latest":"2000-09-30"}},{"text":"This chair is very close in style to a design by the cabinet-maker John Linnell (1729-95) drawn in 1768-70 (see illustration).  Linnell made furniture for some of Robert Adam's houses; it is possible that the suite was made for the Drawing Room at Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square, London (demolished), for William, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, which Adam designed.","date":{"text":"1996","earliest":"1996-01-01","latest":"1996-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.42-1946"],"accessionNumberNum":"42","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1946,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-23","recordCreationDate":"2001-02-15","availableToBook":true}}