Neoclassical Dining Chairs, Ribbon Backs in Walnut, Sets of 2

The backs of these Neoclassical Dining Chairs are pierced right through, interlaced loops forming an open oval so that each chair reads as much as a drawing as an object. It is ribbon carving translated into open air, finished here in walnut with the grain running visibly through the loops. A cream seat sits below, plain and unbuttoned, which keeps the eye on the pattern above it.

Each chair is 21 inches wide and 41 inches high, tall enough in the back to hold its own at a formal table. The legs angle out beneath the seat, a lighter stance than turned legs and one that keeps the profile slim. Because the back is open rather than solid, a full row of them does not block the view down a long table or across the room behind.

Walnut-finished beechwood and cream sit comfortably with most timbers, so these can join a table they do not match. They suit a dining room with paneling, or a plain painted wall against which the pierced oval can be read clearly. Two placed either side of a hall table make the carving easier to study, and a full set around a round table keeps the whole arrangement light.