Pair of cast iron chairs with openwork backs, Second half of the 19th century, England

This pair of cast iron garden chairs harks back to a time of innovation, when outdoor furniture served as a symbol of the progress brought by the First Industrial Revolution. These chairs stand out for their short legs and fully openwork design: on the backrest, interlacing scrolls form a violin-shaped profile, while a rosette decorates the seat. A circular crowning motif tops the backrest. The legs, curved outward, are also finely worked and flare into stylized floral shapes forming the seat’s apron.

The vegetal and interlaced ornamentation stylistically echoes French Rocaille furniture, while the technique reflects the metallurgical legacy of 19th-century England.