Sofa

Greek and Roman excavations helped spark an interest in Classically-inspired design in the early nineteenth century. Archeological elements such as this sofa's scrolled arms and carved dolphin motif proved particularly popular amongst Americans eager to associate their young country with ancient republics. This Grecian sofa belongs to an elite group of seven examples thought to have been made in New York around 1820. Similar sofas in this same group can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the White House, and the Bayou Bend Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.