THE WANSTEAD HOUSE GILT-GESSO ARMCHAIRS ATTRIBUTED TO JAMES MOORE, ENGLAND, C. 1720 - 25

THE WANSTEAD HOUSE GILT-GESSO ARMCHAIRS ATTRIBUTED TO JAMES MOORE

ENGLAND, C. 1720 - 25

H: 104.1cm
W: 81.3cm
D: 74.9cm

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Provenance

Sir Richard Child (1680 - 1750), 1^st Viscount Castlemaine, later 1^st Earl Tylney, twelve chairs for Wanstead House, Essex

By decent to Sir James Tylney-Long (1736 - 94), 7th Bt. and his wife Lady Catherine Windsor

Their daughter, Catherine, married William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 4^th Earl of Mornington

The set sold in pairs from Wanstead House, 10 June 1822 and 31 following days, seventeenth day, lots 23 and 27, the present chairs, acquired by ‘Lane’ for £27.6 and £26.15.6, the remaining eight acquired by Philip John Miles for Leigh Court, Somerset

Given to William, 6^th Baron Monson (d. 1862) by ‘Anna’ Wakelin for Burton Hall, possibly mid-1850s; by descent until sold 2015

Private Collection: West Coast, USA

Publications

An Inventory of the Household Furniture, Linen, China, Glass, Books, Wines and Effects of the Late Sir James Tylney Long Bart. deceased at Wanstead House in the County of Essex appraised Feb’y 23 1795 & Following Days, in the ‘Dressing Room’ of the ‘Crimson Bed Chamber’

A. Denney, Burton Hall, privately published, 1950, two of the chairs in the Stone Drawing Room.

A History of English Furniture Percy Macquoid Pl 1 1906.

A RARE AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT PAIR OF EARLY EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY GILTWOOD ARMCHAIRS

Attributed to James Moore, commissioned for Wanstead House

Among the finest surviving examples of early eighteenth-century English giltwood furniture, this remarkable pair of armchairs combines exceptional craftsmanship, original tapestry upholstery and one of the most distinguished provenances in English furniture. Attributed to the celebrated cabinetmaker James Moore and commissioned for Wanstead House, Essex, they are among the few surviving furnishings from one of Britain's greatest lost houses.

The chairs possess a bold architectural quality characteristic of the early Georgian period. Their sweeping scroll arms, finely carved cabriole legs and richly modelled female mask knees create a powerful sculptural presence, while the restrained use of ornament reflects the emerging Neo-Palladian taste that transformed English design during the reign of George I. The carving throughout is of outstanding quality, particularly the deeply undercut acanthus leaves and expressive mask heads, details that firmly place the chairs amongst the finest giltwood furniture of their period.

Perhaps even more remarkable is the survival of the original early eighteenth-century tapestry upholstery. Inspired by the rich colours and geometric ornament of Ottoman and Persian carpets, the vibrant crimson, navy and ivory design reflects the growing influence of Eastern textiles on fashionable English interiors. At a time when imported silks, carpets and porcelain were becoming symbols of wealth and sophistication, such upholstery demonstrated not only considerable expense but also an awareness of the wider world. Its survival is exceptionally rare and greatly enhances both the historical and aesthetic importance of the chairs.

The provenance is equally significant. These chairs were made for Wanstead House, the magnificent Palladian mansion built between 1713 and 1722 for Sir Richard Child, later the 1st Earl Tylney. Designed by Colen Campbell, Wanstead was one of the earliest and most ambitious expressions of Neo-Palladian architecture in Britain. Illustrated in Campbell's Vitruvius Britannicus, the house became an architectural manifesto for a new generation, replacing the theatrical exuberance of the Baroque with a language of classical proportion, order and permanence. It was intended to rival the great royal palaces and quickly became one of the most admired houses in Europe.

The quality of these chairs is entirely consistent with the workshop of James Moore, the foremost cabinetmaker of the early Georgian period. Moore worked for Queen Anne before becoming Royal Cabinetmaker to George I and was responsible for some of the most important giltwood furniture produced in Britain during the first quarter of the eighteenth century. His work supplied the grandest royal and aristocratic interiors, including Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and Blenheim Palace, where his richly carved giltwood established a standard that influenced English furniture for decades.

Particularly distinctive are the carved female mask knees, traditionally described as "Indian" heads. These highly fashionable motifs appear in several works associated with Moore's workshop and may also allude to the Child family's close connections with the East India Company. Sir Richard Child inherited not only immense wealth but also a mercantile legacy founded by his grandfather, Sir Josiah Child, one of the Company's most influential governors. Whether intended consciously or not, the combination of Eastern-inspired tapestry and exotic carved ornament reflects the global outlook that helped define the tastes of Britain's early eighteenth-century elite.

The fate of Wanstead House lends these chairs an additional poignancy. Following the decline of the Tylney family's fortunes, the house was demolished in 1822 after one of the most celebrated dispersal sales of the nineteenth century. Few furnishings can today be securely associated with the house, making surviving pieces of this quality exceptionally rare witnesses to one of Britain's greatest lost interiors.

In every respect these armchairs represent the highest achievements of early Georgian furniture. They unite masterful carving, remarkable originality, outstanding provenance and an important place in the history of British design. As survivors from Wanstead House and as works attributable to James Moore, they stand amongst the most significant examples of early eighteenth-century English giltwood furniture.

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