Side Chair

Originally part of a much larger set, this chair, with its elegant design and opulent upholstery, likely would have been arranged with others against the walls of the grand salone of an Italian palace. More freely handled elements--such as the carved scrolls at the top and the S-curves of the cross stretchers, which are typical of the early Rococo style--are combined with the straight, sober shape of this chair. Its modern upholstery is a copy of the original silk braiding over damask, which was replaced before the Getty Museum purchased the chair. The braiding's straight lines and carefully balanced yet exuberant, lacy interior swirls perfectly complement the chair's straight lines and curved accents.