Definition: a type of chair with a concave or C-shaped back, with sides that slope continuously down towards the seat, and with splayed saber legs in back; though originally applied to side chairs with open backs, term now applies to any chair, open like a fauteuil or closed like a bergère (if there are arms, they too curve dramatically forward); the back is usually conical or circular, but can also be rectangular, albeit with rounded edges; developed in France circa 1760, the style is characteristic of Neo-Classical, Regency and Greek Revival styles of the late 18th century through the first quarter of the 19th century
Also Known As: tub chair, barrel chair
Example: With its sharp slope, the gondola chair in profile does somewhat resemble the prow of a gondola boat.
Other Antique Chair Styles
Other Late 18th/Early 19th Century Styles