settee

settee

circa 1770
Artist
unknown artist
Country
Mexico
Object
settee
Medium
Mahogany
Accession Number
2015.571
Credit Line
Gift of the Collection of Frederick and Jan Mayer

Unknown artist, Settee, about 1770. Mahogany and fabric upholstery; 36¼ × 71⅛ × 23⅛ in. Gift of the Collection of Frederick and Jan Mayer, 2015.571.

Dimensions
height: 36.25 in, 92.0750 cm; width: 71.125 in, 180.6575 cm; depth: 23.125 in, 58.7375 cm
Department
Mayer Center, Latin American Art
Collection
Latin American Art

Following basic European styles, furniture in colonial Latin America developed regional variations. Proportions in the Americas were often grander and heavier than their European counterparts and the decoration was often more ornate, particularly during the Baroque period. Often local details were incorporated into the decorative elements alongside European allegorical and classical imagery. In some cases Asian influence can be seen in Latin American furniture as a result of Asian decorative arts imported via the Manila galleons.

This settee is executed in the stouter and heavier Mexican colonial version of the English Queen Anne or Chippendale style. Also, the front skirt and back splats are much more elaborately carved than their European counterparts. It is an excellent example of the Mexican appropriation and adaptation of a mainstream European style.

--Donna Pierce, 2015

Known Provenance
Provenance research is on-going at the Denver Art Museum. Please e-mail provenance@denverartmuseum.org, if you have questions, or if you have additional information to share with us.
Exhibition History
  • Exhibited, "Baroque Splendors of Mexico," December 1, 1984 - January 27, 1985, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
  • "New World Cuisine: The Histories of Chocolate, Mate, y Mas," Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, NM., December 2012 - December 2013.