FURNITURE

An exceptional example of 18th century Hispano-Moresque backless “Savonarola chair”. Savonarola chairs are a type of folding chair with a frame shaped like an X viewed from the front. The design of these chairs originated in the Late Middle Ages in Italy, and it spread through the entirety of Europe from there during the Renaissance. This design gave origin to the Dante chair in Italy and the Luther chair in Germany. The term “Savonarola chair” is a nineteenth century creation connected to the antiquarian trade.

Savonarola chairs acquired a particular style in Spain from the 15th and 16th centuries, when they started to inlaid with ivory, bone, mother of pearl, and metals in the Moorish designs. These chairs came to embody some of the quintessential stylistic features of Hispano Moresque art, and continued to be produced for centuries after the end of the Moorish domination. They had a revival in the 19th century along with the developing taste for Alhambra art among the European elites. This particular chair pre-dates the 19th century revival and is probably inspired by earlier models which were preserved in the Alhambra palace. It is a backless X shaped chair with inlays in mother of pearl and a seat in leather. The inlays create a number of complex and exceptionally refined geometric patterns, typical of the un-iconic art of Muslim countries, which favours complex patterns and calligraphic decorations in obeisance to the prohibition to represent human beings or animals. The chair is constructed in a way that leaves the sides of the chair empty. This particular feature gives a sense of lightness to the artefact, creating a delightful contrast to the complexity of the inlays. This is an outstanding piece of Hispano Moresque art, testifying to the refinement and artistic prowess of Spanish artists in the 18th century.

Alhambra Spanish Folding Chair, 1700 CE 85 x 64cm Spain (CB.245)