Side Chair, 1770 (mahogany & white cedar)

Made for General John Cadwalader; Chair 94 x 61.6 x 57.2 cm, Seat 45.1 x 55.9 x 49.5 cm. The low back, the intricate ribbon-carved splat, the saddle-shaped seat, the upholstery that extends half-over-the-rail, and the hairy paw feet on this chair distinguish it as an extraordinary design, not typical of the Philadelphia canon. It is likely this chair was made after an English prototype inherited by the Cadwaladers from Elizabeth Cadwalader’s father, Edward Lloyd III (1711-1770) of Maryland. When not in use, the silk seat was protected by a furniture cover that tied in the back.