High Chest of Drawers

The 1690s witnessed a dramatic evolution in the design and construction of American furniture, which was introduced to the colonies through England and, in turn, through the exertions of the Dutch and French. The massive, vertical Late Renaissance style gave way to the lighter, more elegantly proportioned Early Baroque.

The high chest of drawers is an iconic statement of this aesthetic. An imposing form that originated during this period, it was intended for the bedchamber. This architectural example is defined by its bold cornice and molding surmounting a convex frieze. The base is reminiscent of a Roman triumphal arch. Because the chest’s turned legs and feet could not be veneered, it is likely that they were originally painted to simulate the burl veneers used on the case.

The sophistication of this chest suggests that it was commissioned for someone of great prominence. The work embodies the comments of an Englishman who visited Boston about 1700: “A Gentleman from London would almost think himself at home at Boston . . . when he observes the Numbers of People, their Houses, their Furniture, their Tables, their Dress, and Conversation, which perhaps is as splendid and showy, as that of the most considerable Tradesmen in London.”