| In this next instalment in our series on the history of | | | | developed. This chair had an elaborately interlaced |
| chairs we're going to pick up with English chairs. | | | | back, graceful arms and square legs. The Chippendale |
| Although much English furniture comes from French | | | | chair to this day is one of the most popular designs in |
| and Italian influence, the early forms of English chairs | | | | history. It was created by Thomas Chippendale who |
| owe very little to influences outside of England itself. | | | | lived from 1718 to 1779. He was one of the big three |
| This is especially true towards the end of the Tudor | | | | furniture makers of the 18th century along with |
| period. It was during this time that the French began to | | | | Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite. In 1754 he |
| take their chair designs from the English. | | | | published a book of his designs which included the |
| The squat style chairs with heavy backs that were | | | | Chippendale chair design. |
| carved like a piece of paneling gave way to taller, | | | | Sheraton and Hepplewhite tried to lighten the design of |
| more slender and elegant chairs. The framework of | | | | the original Chippendale chair, which even in the hands |
| these chairs were less carved and new directions | | | | of the one who created it was a very heavy piece of |
| were taken as far as how these chairs were | | | | work. Sheraton and Hepplewhite were successful in |
| ornamented. Cabinet makers of the Restoration began | | | | their attempts to modify the design and lighten the |
| to take advantage of the opportunities given to them | | | | chair and to this day the modern Chippendale is |
| to design these new chairs. Chairs began to take on | | | | comparatively slight next to just about every other |
| an elaborate construction with graceful semicircular | | | | chair of its type. |
| ornaments that connected all four legs by a vase | | | | Another man who attempted to make major changes |
| shaped knob in the center. The arms and legs of the | | | | to the Chippendale design was Robert Adam. Adam |
| chairs of this period were scrolled with the splats of | | | | lived from 1728 to 1792. He was a Scottish architect |
| the back containing a rich arrangement of spirals and | | | | who lived in Kirkcaldy. He set up his business in 1758 in |
| scrolls. | | | | England after returning from a grand tour of France |
| The most popular of these chairs were the ones | | | | and Italy. It was then that he started work on his |
| made so by the cavaliers who had been exiled by | | | | variations of the Chippendale design which can still be |
| Charles II. During the reign of William and Mary these | | | | seen throughout the world today. Historians say his |
| chairs degenerated into chairs that were more stiff | | | | success is attributed to the fact that everything he |
| and rectangular with a solid fiddle shaped splat and a | | | | designed he did so down the smallest detail. |
| cabriole leg with pad feet. Chairs that were a bit more | | | | In our next article in this series we'll continue with 18th |
| ornamental had cane seats and caned backs. It is | | | | and 19th century chair designs. |
| from these forms that the Chippendale chair was | | | | |