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The Furniture Masterworks of John &
Thomas Seymour
By Robert
D. Mussey Jr.
The Peabody Essex Museum is pleased to present the first major
exhibition of the work of John and Thomas Seymour, two English
émigrés who played a significant role in shaping
New England’s artistic heritage during one of the most
pivotal chapters in American history. During the Federal period,
from the 1780s to the 1820s, the Federal government took shape,
along with many of the values and ideals that we live with today.
It was also an era that adopted the classical style inspired
by the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome as suitable
for all branches of the creative arts. The style went through
several different phases, but its salient features – fine
proportion, symmetrical arrangement of parts, and decorative
details copied from ancient buildings and furniture –
remained constant and continue to be a vital part of America’s
decorative vocabulary.
The Seymours thoroughly mastered the intricacies of this elegant
style, kept pace with its constant reinterpretation during their
long careers, and used it to create some of the truly iconic
pieces of American furniture. They borrowed elements judiciously
from English sources and developed their own style through the
use of restrained but rich ornamentation combined with elegant,
balanced proportions. Their designs influenced the work of other
artisans, and they set a standard for meticulous workmanship
that has rarely been matched.
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