A PAIR OF LATE 18TH CENTURY FAUX SIMULATED BAMBOO ARMCHAIRS

Height of seat rail 16 3/4 42.5cm
Height of back 33in 84cm
Depth of seat 16 1/2in 42cm
Depth of chair 20in 51cm
Width 21 1/4in (54cm)

England, circa 1780

This pair of chairs which are dated to the late eighteenth century, they are of beech wood decorated with a painted surface simulating bamboo. The wood is turned and carved in a manner to simulate bamboo with rings and notches cut into the wood. Beech wood is an ideal wood for taking a painted surface, it is strong, cuts well and is relatively easy to work with. It doesn’t have a particularly interesting grain so is fine for painting or gilding. It is also indigenous to Europe and was abundantly available. The strength of the wood has been taken advantage of to allow thin elegant rods of wood on the back and arms. They remain in a strong and stable condition, the joints are tight and stand as testament to the quality of craftsmanship.

David Garrick is known to have owned a set of similar painted chairs at his Hampton Villa, where they were used as bedroom chairs as part of the decorative scheme including fine textiles imported from India. The collection dated circa 1770 and is now with the Victoria and Albert Museum.

At this time, there was a regeneration of interest in the Orient, particularly from a more scientific botanical standpoint in flora and fauna, Sir Joseph Banks, Sir William Chambers and Reeves all contributed to the fashion and style of the time. Kew gardens in Chiswick not only houses Sir William Chambers’ famous pagoda but also holds many of the plants and specimens that were imported to meet an ever insatiable demand. The Peonie is a fine example of a imported oriental plant that we now take for granted but at the time was as sought after as the tulip in the 17th century. Rhubarb is another example of a plant that was also imported from China at this time. Simulated bamboo Eastern inspired furniture fits this period very well, it meets the demand for style as well as representing a knowledge of Eastern botany.

Painted furniture was popular throughout Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, some early examples are known prior to the 1700’s however the majority of European production was focused on the second half of the 18th century. The craze for all things Chinese fueled much of this fashion with early pieces simulating the oriental lacquer which was arriving on the East India Company trade ships and others. Workshops across Europe produced all sorts of pieces from small boxes to larger more significant pieces for grand houses and palaces. Any surface that could be painted probably would have been painted.

Among the most important and recognised areas of production are Venice which excelled in lacquer work, Paris where the Vernis Martin workshops flourished and London where Giles Grendy perfected the art of lacquer work. The fascination with the Orient persisted throughout the 18th century and as tastes changed and decorative ideas emerged new designs became the common decorative language and repertoire.

The Prince Regent, George IV was a true leader of style, he gathered around him the finest architects and designers to create a whimsical period characterized by a fascination with the orient. His greatest and most striking contribution to style was the Brighton Pavilion, an extraordinary Royal building inspired by the east and decorated throughout with Oriental influenced design including miniature nodding figures, candelabra, screens and follies combined with contemporary British design by Henry Holland, John Mclean, Blades and Perry. Sadly, the Prince’s London residence Carlton House is no longer standing however contemporary drawings and sketches reveal the grandeur of the Regency style.