17th century chair??

Hey everyone! I've recently inherited a chair from my father's Widow and she believes it's a 17th century Dagobert but I cannot seem to find anything that looks remotely like it and especially not with what appears to be a suspended upholstered backrest. Any information or point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

 

The fabric is incredible!

OISE ENCHERES
Auction house of Chantilly



700 - 750 € UROS
DAGOBERT ARMCHAIR XIXth In carved natural wood, ...
DAGOBERT ARMCHAIR XIXth

Natural carved wood, backed by a pair of lion heads.

(Restorations of use and maintenance.

19th century

H: 105 x W: 62 x D: 64 cm

Welcome !

 

The fabric and attention to detail is amazing! That appears to be the same chair with smaller dimensions. Thank you for your help!

 

Well, you'll find as many differences as similarities. I was just looking for any with that suspended back.

Yours is unique because of that dramatically high back and the laced backrest.

@James Conrad @verybrad

 

Ive just found this in the Illustrated History of Furniture, Fifth Edition and they seem similar except this is from the 14th century

 

No, don't think it is 17th century, possibly a 19th century revival chair. Where are you & where did father's widow get the chair?

 

We are in Australia and I believe she got the chair in France but I will have to talk to her and confirm 100%. I know she was living in Malaysia and Singapore majority of her life.

 

A quick google brought this up


Throne of Dagobert, Merovingian Dynasty Europe, 629-634

"In medieval Europe, royal thrones and other ornately decorated seats were symbols of power and authority. Religious officials commonly used X-frame seats known as faldstools, derived from the Roman curule seats. This elaborately detailed seat belonged to the Merovingian King Dagobert I. “Four protomes of panthers form the feet and legs; the armrests consist of two carved and perforated panels, decorated with rosettes (bottom) and plant motifs (upper register)” (wdl.org). But unlike the Greek klismos chair, medieval furniture reflected the prevailing Christian emphasis to asceticism and the virtues of discomfort rather than ergonomics."

 

Not sure how accurate that website is, a lot of misinformation on internet plus medieval european furniture is way out of my field of interest. Here is site i got above info from
https://www.disd.edu/blog/take-seat-exploring-chair-throughout-history/

 

Looks like a curule Renaissance Revival chair ca. 1890-1900.

 

Agrees, it is almost certainly a revival piece.

 

"Curule" chairs have been around since the times of the Roman Empire and most european countries have their own version but one thing they usually share is an X stretcher/frame.


"Although the ancient Egyptians and Greeks used stools with an X-frame of diagonal cross braces, it was the ancient Romans who elevated it to the decorative heights that made it popular all the way into the present day. For centuries, the curule chair was reserved for use by royalty, dignitaries and other important political and religious officials."

 

English example


Winchester Cathedral: The chair that Mary Tudor used when she married Philip of Spain at The Cathedral in 1554.

 

Late to the party but agree that this is a 19th century revival piece. Although curule is the technical term, you often see these just called a Roman chair. If you search Roman chair, you will get all kinds of example of exercise equipment. Search antique Roman chair to clarify results.

 

"Curule" chairs have been around since the times of the Roman Empire and most european countries have their own version but one thing they usually share is an X stretcher/frame."

Yep!

I don't know if it's my back or what, but I've always found these chairs to be amazingly uncomfortable.

 

JMHO.
Dagobert was brought in by the French to stress the age; probably in the 19th c. where everywhere on the continent there was Historicisme.
what makes me a bit skeptical about its age are the places the lady lived.
these Savonarola chairs were wide-spread and made over and over again.

 

Hi Fid,
Thanks for calling them Savonarola. I was trying to remember that name.
greg

 

The upholstery fabric reproduces scenes from 14th century manuscripts, which I think would support a 19th century revival date. The fabric clearly does not date from the 14th century, and I don't think it was popular to reproduce medieval styles earlier than the 19th century.

Illumination 82v from the Codex Manesse (1300-1340), Heidelberg University Library

It also looks like a jacquard woven fabric, which would date to it early 19th century at the earliest (assuming the upholstery is original to the chair).

 

there is certainly a similarity, but those figures were generic to a certain extent. collected in Zurich they are from the Upper Rhine school of painting. so a French connection is possible besides a "German" and Swiss connection.