chair

Date1910

Mediumwood

Dimensions34 × 23 1/2 × 23 in. (86.4 × 59.7 × 58.4 cm)

ClassificationsFurnishings

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, museum purchase 1983 General Obligation Bonds

Object numberPC1985.1.1

DescriptionThis straddle chair was produced in 1910 on the Roycroft campus, a community of artists and workers founded by Elbert Hubbard in East Aurora, New York. Hubbard envisioned a place where artists and philosophers could come together to think and create freely. His vision came to life with the Roycroft campus, which became a hub for progressive thought and craftsmanship. A distinct style of furniture design emerged from the Roycroft community, one that would go on to influence the American mainstream. This straddle chair is a perfect example of the unique aesthetic that developed in the creative atmosphere that defined East Aurora at the time. The chair is primarily made from dark, varnished wood, with leather upholstery and small metal pins. Its most notable feature is the long top rail that sits atop the backrest, connected to two solid wooden pillars that also serve as the chair's back legs. The seat is unusually long and features a brown leather cushion, secured to the wooden frame with small metal pins. Below the cushion, several wooden panels provide structural support, one of which bears the engraved Roycroft logo. The four legs of the chair are reinforced with four horizontal support rails. This object offers a glimpse into a key ideal of American culture: the belief in the right to gather, form communities, and express ideas through art and craftsmanship.

On View

Not on view

Terms