Armchair

Over the years this chair has been variously identified as Italian, Swiss, Dutch, and English. The confusion reflects the international popularity of chairs with caned seats in the early eighteenth century. England invented the fashion and shipped thousands of them all over the world, from Boston to Stockholm. Craftsmen adapted the designs and produced local variations of "English chairs." This example is striking for the lively turnings on its arm supports and legs-the seat frame is the only straight line in sight.