Dante Gabriel Rossetti for Morris & Co. – Pair of Rush-Seated Armchairs
£3,750 / set
These rush-seated armchairs were designed by Dante Gabriel Rossetti for Morris & Co. around 1880, and represent an early collaboration between the Pre-Raphaelite painter and the firm that defined the Arts and Crafts movement (1860–1910). Their restrained composition unites symbolic design with functional domestic furniture, merging aesthetic expression with craftsmanship.
Each chair features an ebonised beech frame with curved arm supports and a distinctive flared top rail above a fan-shaped splat. The newly woven rush seats reproduce the traditional method used in Morris’s workshops, reflecting the company’s commitment to natural materials and visible handwork. The design’s rhythmic geometry mirrors Rossetti’s interest in medieval and poetic form, translating his artistic language into furniture design.
Examples of this model are recorded in Morris & Co. inventories and were supplied for domestic and ecclesiastical interiors associated with the firm. Both chairs remain in good condition, with sympathetic restoration to the seats and light surface wear consistent with age.
Width: 19.69 in (50 cm)
Depth: 16.93 in (43 cm)
1880-1889
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