Skip to Content
Today Open today 10–11 members | 11–8 public

Armchair

A work made of ebonized walnut with gilt decoration and upholstery.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

Image actions

  • A work made of ebonized walnut with gilt decoration and upholstery.

Date:

About 1869; patented in 1869

Artist:

George Jakob Hunzinger (American, born Germany, 1835–1898)

About this artwork

George Hunzinger designed and patented this chair, which uses a novel bracing system from the rear of the front feet to the midsection of the seat as a way to keep it from tipping over while in use. Hunzinger, a German born cabinetmaker who emigrated to the United States in the 1850s, secured more than 20 furniture patents to enhance the comfort and versatility of home furnishings. He also offered customization of the materials and finishes of his designs in order to appeal to a range of buyers; this chair, with its dark ebony and gilt finish was one of his most luxurious versions.

Status

On View, Gallery 161

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

George Jakob Hunzinger

Title

Armchair

Place

New York City (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Patented 1869

Medium

Ebonized walnut with gilt decoration and upholstery

Inscriptions

Stamped left front leg verso, middle-bottom: "HUNZINGER // N.Y. / PAT. MARCH 30 / 1869".

Dimensions

113.7 × 65.5 × 71.8 cm (44 3/4 × 25 3/4 × 28 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Perry and Gertrude Herst Endowment

Reference Number

1996.439

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/145683/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Learn more

Image actions

Share