Chair

One of a pair of chairs purchased by Nelson in Naples and used as cabin furniture on the 'Foudroyant'. An inventory of his belongings, in the British Library, lists six of these chairs. Both chairs feature rush seats and are painted pale blue with dark brown details and both feature a neo-classical scene of columns and urns on the crest rail. They have been over-painted with dark green paint and it is possible that this was done shortly after their purchase, since in the early 19th century green paint was used for garden furniture, in part because of its anti-corrosive properties. There is an identical chair in the collection of the Norwich Castle Museum, with similar provenance, presented in 1858 by Lord Stafford.

Object Details

ID: AAA3441
Collection: Decorative art
Type: Chair
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: circa 1775
People: Nelson, Horatio
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Caird Fund.
Measurements: Overall: 940 x 483 x 490 mm