Folding armchair
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Carved walnut
Dimensions
43-3/4 x 28-1/2 x 15-1/2 in. (111.1 x 72.4 x 39.4 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
Italian (Tyrolese or North Italian)
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
Accession Number
32.100.326
Art Historical Context
Step into the Renaissance elegance of 16th-century Italy with this striking folding armchair, crafted from richly carved walnut. Hailing from the Tyrolese or North Italian—straddling the Alps where Italian and Germanic influences mingled—this piece exemplifies the era's masterful woodwork. Measuring a substantial 43-3/4 x 28-1/2 x 15-1/2 inches, its portable folding design made it ideal for nobility on the move, collapsing for travel while unfolding into a throne-like seat for courts or grand homes. Walnut, prized for its fine grain and durability, was a favored medium for Renaissance carvers...