Side Chair ca. 1837 Attributed to Workshop of Duncan Phyfe Scottish This chair form, referred to in the period as a chaise gondole, is characterized by a deep concave back and in-swept stiles that extend forward to the front seat rail. In the early nineteenth century, designers and furniture makers embraced a revival of Classical prototypes from ancient Greek and Roman architecture and decorative arts. The sleek, curvaceous lines, and dramatic, figural mahogany veneers of this chair characterize the distinct Grecian Plain style that emerged in the 1820s to 1840s during the revival period. American cabinetmakers were highly influenced by French interpretations of Classical forms that circulated in design books and periodicals, such as Pierre de La Mésangère's Collection de Meubles et Objets de Goût (1820-1831). As early as 1825, New York makers began to produce this style of chair which took inspiration from Mésangère. In an　1833 broadside advertisement by Joseph Meeks & Sons, a contemp