Armchair
Category
Furniture
Date
1672 - 1673
Materials
Carved and gilded wood, possibly beech, upholstered in gold and silver brocade trimmed with gold and silver metal fringe
Measurements
120.0 x 63.5 x 66.0 cm
Place of origin
England
Order this imageCollection
Knole, Kent
NT 129527.1
Summary
One of a pair of carved, gilt and silver gilt elbow chairs, England, c.1672-3, the backs and seats covered with gold and silver brocade to match the outer hangings of the so-called ‘King’s Bed’ (129526). The frames are richly carved, the legs in the form of two pairs of male and female figures. The front stretcher features a pair of so-called amorini upholding an open ducal coronet, while the centre stretcher bears a seated putto holding the emblems of love. The arms are in the shape of rams’ heads supported by acanthus scrolls. The pair of chairs comes en suite with the French state bed, as well as six stools (129528.1-6) and two squab frames (129529.1-2).
Provenance
The bedchamber suite was presumably made in 1672/3 for James, Duke of York (later King James II) and his wife Mary of Modena. Recorded at Whitehall Palace in 1694, and removed shortly afterwards from Whitehall Palace, either as a perquisite of office or as a gift from William III, by Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset in his capacity of Lord Chamberlain, and brought to Knole. Knole and the majority of its furniture were accepted by HM Treasury in part payment of death duties and transferred to the National Trust in 1946.