Chair - Wood, Textile - Kneeling chair

Cushioned kneeler chair. Portuguese, 19th century, executed in darkened wood, with a tall and narrow framework designed for devotional use as a kneeler. It presents a high backrest with straight lines, formed by vertical posts and horizontal rails, standing out at the center by a carved religious element, composed of an ornate cross surrounded by a serpentine motif, with strong symbolic expression. The upper end is made up of a cushioned support, rectangular in shape and slightly padded. The seat, also padded, has a square shape and is covered with reddish fabric, decorated with vegetal and floral motifs in gold. The upholstery is finished with decorative piping and the application of fringe with hanging tassels on the upper support, an element that reinforces the piece’s 19th‑century ceremonial character. The structure rests on four legs, the front ones turned with a balustrade profile, while the rear ones extend directly from the back posts and show a slight incline. The front of the seat is framed by a plain, moulded crosspiece. The typology corresponds to a private devotion kneeler chair, intended for private prayer, allowing the upper support to be used as a support during the kneeling position and the seat as a surface of support or conventional use. The sobriety of the darkened wood contrasts with the symbolic richness of the central decoration and with the ornamented fabrics, giving the piece a character that is simultaneously functional and devotional. It bears signs of use, wear to the fabrics, losses and aging of the surface, consistent with the age and use of the piece.

Origin: Portugal
Epoch: 19th century
Material: darkened wood
Decoration: carved cross with serpentine motif
Upholstery: reddish fabric with vegetal/floral motifs and decorative trim
Dimensions: 84 × 42 × 39 cm