In Quest of Comfort: The Easy Chair in America

by Morrison H. Heckscher

In Quest of The Easy Chair in America (opening November 24, 1971) is the first in a series of small, didactic exhibitions prepared by The American Wing. Such small-scale exhibitions focusing on specific topics will be held from time to time by this and other departments throughout the Museum. To best illustrate the themes, objects are selected not only from the department's permanent collections, but from other departments of the Museum, and from other local institutions, collectors, and dealers. This catalogue consists of two first, five brief essays, each tracing a different theme illustrated by the exhibition; second, a checklist of all the objects exhibited. Two aspects of this exhibition—the evolution of the easy chair form and an analysis of framing methods— among many others, are discussed here. The chairs in this exhibition were, with only two exceptions, made in America during the eighteenth or very early nineteenth century—that is when the easy chair, or full upholstered chair with "wings" attached to the back, was fashionable. [This book was originally published in 1971 and has gone out of print. This edition is a print-on-demand version of the original book.]

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

15 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2013

Reviews

[Waleska Jungmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunque el libro está hecho para ser consultado mientras se visita la exhibición, es interesante saber sobre los materiales, técnicas y usos de un objeto tan simple y "común" como una silla. Recomendado como material de consulta para una investigación, ya sea un proyecto académico o personal.

Even though the booklet was created to be consulted while visiting the exhibit, it is intereseting to know about materials, techniques and uses of an object as simple and "common" as a chair. Recommended as a good source for research, either for an academic or personal project.