Box Sofa
Attributed to Duncan Phyfe (American, born Scotland, 1768–1854)
- Maker
- Attributed to Duncan Phyfe (American, born Scotland, 1768–1854)
- Date
- c. 1820
- Medium
- Rosewood and gilded wood, with ormolu mounts, die-stamped brass inlay inset with rosewood, brass stringing, gilt-brass castors, and upholstery
- Dimensions
- 85.7 × 208.3 × 69.2 cm (33 3/4 × 82 × 27 1/4 in.)
- Form
- Sofa & Bench
- Origin
- New York City
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Accession
- 2002.17
- Credit line
- Purchased with funds provided by the Antiquarian Society and Mrs. Herbert A. Vance
Unlike its predecessors in the Federal period, this box sofa exhibits a pronounced rectilinear form that draws the eye to its luxurious materials. Its bold shape reflects the influence of contemporary French Restoration–style furniture, which was both imported to the United States and made domestically by immigrant cabinetmakers such as Charles-Honoré Lannuier and Duncan Phyfe.
