ticketsMember | Make a donation

Armchair

Possibly Gustave Herter German (Stuttgart, principality of Württemberg)
ca. 1855
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 736
This stately armchair is thought to have come from Belvoir, a Gothic villa built in the 1850s in Yonkers, New York, for the tobacco merchant Christian H. Lilienthal. It likely was used in the library, a room for which the Gothic style was favored. A period photograph of the library records furniture identified as the work of Gustave Herter, suggesting the German-born craftsman may have created this chair. The pierced-trefoil back, pointed arches, and crockets borrow directly from Gothic architecture. During this period of profound industrial and cultural change, designers and consumers looked to historical styles such as the Gothic to inform new aesthetic sensibilities.

Christian H. Lilienthal was newly wealthy and of Jewish descent. Belvoir, with its impressive castellated exterior and lavish Gothic interior, could be seen as an attempt by the family to gain acceptance to the elite echelons of New York society, using a style favored by its members. Gustave Herter was one of the most highly regarded New York City cabinetmakers from the 1860s to 1880s, and his work certainly would have helped Lilienthal make a statement about his wealth and social standing.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Armchair
  • Maker: Possibly Gustave Herter (1830–1898)
  • Date: ca. 1855
  • Geography: Probably made in New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Walnut, original leather, modern velvet cushion
  • Dimensions: 64 1/2 x 25 3/8 x 22 1/4 in. (163.8 x 64.5 x 56.5 cm)
  • Credit Line: Friends of the American Wing Fund, 1986
  • Object Number: 1986.204
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Side Chair
Gustave Herter
ca. 1860
Center table, Gustave Herter German (Stuttgart, principality of Württemberg), Rosewood, rosewood veneer, maple, burled wood, ash (secondary wood), brass, and scagliola, American
Center table
Gustave Herter
ca. 1860
Armchair, John and Joseph W. Meeks American, Mahogany, American
Armchair
John and Joseph W. Meeks
ca. 1850
Armchair, Herter Brothers American, Gilded wood (probably cherry, maple or ash), modern upholstery with original underupholstery materials, American
Armchair
Herter Brothers
ca. 1875
Armchair, Louis C. Tiffany American, Prima vera, American ash (secondary wood); marquetry of various woods and brass; replacement upholstery, American
Armchair
Louis C. Tiffany
Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company
ca. 1891–93

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.