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Aesthetic Movement Windsor Chairs

AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

In 1880, polymath designer William Morris declared: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” His words encapsulated the Aesthetic Movement, which prized beauty above all and blurred the lines between fine art and the decorative arts, particularly through lavishly crafted furniture pieces.

The Aesthetic Movement, whose major proponents included author Oscar Wilde, flourished from the 1860s to the 1880s and was mostly popular in England and the United States. Design expositions like the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, as well as the publishing of how-to books for interior design, helped disseminate Aesthetic Movement bedroom furniture, serveware, coffee tables and other items, especially to the middle class.

The establishment of new art museums, art clubs and a rising passion for collecting at the time contributed to a growing appreciation for art. Morris’s founding of Morris Co. in 1862 and the commercializing of this “cult of beauty” by the Liberty store in London, starting in the late 19th century, further disseminated the idea of a domestic space that was thoughtfully and floridly designed.

Leading Aesthetic Movement furniture designers included E.W. Godwin, who drew on Japanese influences and whose work reflected a wider enthusiasm for imported East Asian art. British designer Christopher Dresser created textiles, ceramics and more that were also inspired by Japanese decorative art but were representative of additional diverse design sources that ranged from Egypt to Mexico.

The Aesthetic Movement’s eclecticism resulted in dazzling interiors. Japanese fans were positioned on Renaissance-inspired cabinets with brass hardware, while mantels made of rich walnut or finely carved ebonized wood and adorned with painted Minton tiles mingled with cast-iron chairs against a backdrop of floral wallpaper. In 1881, in New York City, stenciled checkerboard motifs and painted floral murals could be found under an opalescent glass chandelier in a luxurious dressing room designed by German émigré cabinetmaker-decorator George Alfred Schastey. Amid the rise of the industrial age, the style’s promotion of art in everyday life would inform the Arts and Crafts Movement and Art Nouveau.

Find a collection of antique Aesthetic Movement seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.

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Style: Aesthetic Movement
Set Of 4 19th Century Windsor Wheelback Chairs
Located in Brussels, Brussels
A fine set of four 19th-century English Windsor chairs in chestnut with a wheelback . Very beautiful model called wheelback with a decoration on the back. Very beautiful set which h...
Category

19th Century British Antique Aesthetic Movement Windsor Chairs

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Oak

Set Of 4 19th Century Windsor Wheelback Chairs
Set Of 4 19th Century Windsor Wheelback Chairs

Set Of 4 19th Century Windsor Wheelback Chairs

$1,963 / set
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Vintage 19th Century English Windsor Chairs - Set of 6
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Pair of 19th Century Patinated Windsor Chairs
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Aesthetic Movement windsor chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Aesthetic Movement windsor chairs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage windsor chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with chestnut, hardwood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Aesthetic Movement windsor chairs made in a specific country, there are England, Europe, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for windsor chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,092 and tops out at $1,092 while the average work can sell for $1,092.

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