small; squared-off spindles on back and seat; thin, curved arms; front legs have forked hoof feet; painted with peacock feather on center back and foliage and scrolls at center front of seat, top back corners, front corners and sides

"Elastic" chair, c. 1808

expand_more
Not on Viewexpand_more

In 1808, Samuel Gragg of Boston received the patent for his "Elastic Chair." The chair replicates the curves of the Greek klismos chair depicted in ancient paintings and sculpture. Its classical theme is continued with painted decoration in the form of acanthus leaves, peacock feathers, and cloven hoof feet.

Rather than using traditional wood and joinery techniques, Gragg employed steam-bent wood and construction, which made it possible to form each rounded arm out of a single piece of wood. Gragg's chair was lighter, more flexible (or "elastic"), and less expensive to produce. For these reasons, it is considered one of the most innovative chairs in American history, especially as it predates the work of his European counterpart, Michael Thonet, who established his bentwood manufacturing company Gebrüder Thonet in 1853.

Details
Title
"Elastic" chair
Artist Life
1772-1855
Role
Maker
Accession Number
2004.236.112
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.

small; squared-off spindles on back and seat; thin, curved arms; front legs have forked hoof feet; painted with peacock feather on center back and foliage and scrolls at center front of seat, top back corners, front corners and sides