The romantic, Gothic Revival country house designs of architect Alexander Jackson Davis at times included the design of their interiors and furnishings. Davis dramatically adapted Gothic motifs, such as pointed arches, quatrefoils and trefoils into his furniture designs, which were inspired by the designs in the books of J.. C. Loudon and A. W.. N. Pugin. This chair was designed for the library of "Belmead," one of Davis finest Gothic Revival mansions, in Powhatan County, Virginia, circa 1845, for an agronimist, Philip St.. George Cocke. Cocke served as a Confederate general and committed suicide at Belmead during the Civil War. Davis designed a pointed-arch open back that is terminated by a foliated finial and pierced by a quatrefoil. Hexagonal legs and stiles provide the chair with architectural strength; the stiles terminate with an acorn finial. The matching side chair and armchair are in the collection of Mr.. Lee B.. Anderson, and were published in The World of Interiors, August 1997, page 79. |