In this next article in our continuing history of chairs we're going to pick up with Chinese chairs.

There is not much known about ancient Chinese chairs. What we do know is that during the Tang dynasty, which was from 618 to 907 AD, higher seats started to appear among the Chinese elite and then soon spread to the more common people of China. By the 12th century, sitting on the floor, which at one time was what every Chinese person did, was becoming less common even though in other Asian countries the custom of sitting on the floor continued.

We then move on to the Renaissance period. In Europe especially, it is because of the Renaissance period that the chair became a symbol of authority in the European State. It became custom that the only people who had chairs were those of authority or royalty or those who could simply afford them as they were very expensive. However, once the idea of privilege faded away, the chair became more common in everyone's household.

Once chairs started to be manufactured for common people it was immediately noticeable that the chairs themselves reflected the fashions of the times. Over the course of the Renaissance period chairs have varied in size, shape and sturdiness. They were fashioned not only after women's dress but after men's as well. The chair itself started to become too monstrous with many of the items they were adorned with and soon these items started to disappear in order to make the chair more functional.

By the 18th and 19th centuries the costly adornments of these chairs were threatened by the ordinary adornments of the more common chairs. Because of this came the development of the "conversation chair" which enabled the person sitting in it to sit with his face to the back of the chair. This can actually still be done with many chairs even today. The earlier chairs usually had large arms and it wasn't until the end of the 16th century that the smaller chairs became common.

The majority of chairs in the 17th century were made of oak and were made without upholstery. When it became fashionable to cover them, most of the time leather was used. Sometimes velvet and silk were also used. During later periods, less costly materials were used.

An old Abraham Bosse engraving from around 1630 depicts a Parisian musical party that has pulled their low chairs, which were called backstools, away from the tapestry hung walls where they were usually lined up. The padded back panels were covered with needlework panels. Plain cloth was put across the back to hide the wooden framing. The engraving also depicts stools with column legs.

Leather began to be used only for the most costly and elaborate chairs. These chairs were sheathed in thin plates of silver and were usually sent from Venice to other places all over Europe. To this day, leather is still the most infrequently used material for chairs. Until the 17th century the main characteristic of chairs was to be made sturdy and bulky. After the time of Louis XIII, chairs were made with cane backs and seats and their weight was reduced substantially.

In our next article in this series we will continue with English chairs.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Chairs
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