Dining Chair

Britain c. 1725

This is one chair of a set of eight walnut chairs with their original petit and gros-point stitched covers.  One seat cover is embroidered with ‘EW,1722’ in the corner.  These are thought to be the initials of Eleanor Welby who is believed to have stayed at Bushmead Priory in Bedfordshire, home of the Wade-Gery family for whom the set of chairs were made.  The chairs are made of walnut and have cabriole legs with claw and ball feet.  They have other delicate carving of acanthus and husk on the knees and splats.  The covers are intricately designed with patterns of flowers and foliage inspired by the flowers of the Dutch artist Jan Breughel, who inspired other needlework artists of the time.  What is remarkable here is that Welby, who was born in 1708, would have started these when she was eleven to complete them in 1722, when she was fourteen, for this is painstaking work.  A great friend to the Gery sisters Welby spent much of her time with them at Bushmead Priory and later married their brother, William, to become a Wade-Gery herself.

Chairs