Chair (one of a pair)

This chair’s splat back and curving cabriole legs reflect trends in English furniture of the early 1700s. Its exaggerated proportions and dense ornament, however—such as the interlaced strapwork on the back and lion masks on the feet—indicate that it was made by a Chinese furniture maker for the English market. European merchants living in China during the busy trading season equipped their temporary residences with locally produced furniture, often Chinese interpretations of European models. These merchants also ordered furniture for export, diversifying their ships’ cargo and fueling European demand for Asian-made goods.