CIRCA 1825, IN THE MANNER OF ROBERT SMIRKE

These impressive banqueting hall seats reflect the 'massy' element of the George IV 'antique' fashion. The design derives in part from a celebrated marble altar seat illustrated in Charles Heathcote Tatham's, Etchings of Ancient Ornamental Architecture Drawn in Rome, 1799, while their 'tablet' rail 'sun-disc' medallions provide appropriate escutcheons for armorials. Their architecture reflects the taste of Sir Robert Smirke (1780 - 1867), whose Specimens of Continental Architecture, appeared in 1806 after his four year study in Italy and Greece. Smirke, who supervised the British Museum's display of the Elgin Marbles in 1816, was also involved at this period in the embellishment of the 2nd Lord Somer's Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire. Eastnor's sublime banqueting hall was furnished with seats whose robust chamfer-pillared legs relate to those of the present chairs (see Finola, Lady Somers, Eastnor Castle, c. 1980, p. 4). A related pair of chairs was sold Christie's London, 10 May 2006, lot 291.