Pair of Late 18th–Early 19th Century Swedish Folk Art Painted Armchairs (Allmoge), Signed “Rykken”

Details

Description

Offered is a matched pair of Scandinavian folk art painted armchairs from the late 18th to early 19th century (circa … Read more Offered is a matched pair of Scandinavian folk art painted armchairs from the late 18th to early 19th century (circa 1780–1830), executed in traditional allmoge polychrome.

Each chair features hand-turned spindle construction, a gently curved crestrail, and richly painted floral motifs in red, green, yellow, black, and white over a warm ochre ground. The seat panels and back rails are hand-decorated in classic central-Swedish folk patterns, and the turned spindles and stretchers retain their original painted accents. The decorative work is consistent across both chairs, indicating they were produced as a coordinated set.

One chair bears a hand-painted signature reading “Rykken,” applied in the same medium as the decorative work and consistent with period Scandinavian folk painting practice.

Both chairs retain untouched original folk-painted surfaces and have not been stripped or refinished. The painted surfaces show evidence of multiple historic decorative campaigns consistent with long allmoge tradition. Earlier color layers are visible beneath the present polychrome in areas of wear, indicating period folk repainting and refresh work carried out in the 19th century. These layers are deeply aged, fully integrated into the surface patina, and not the result of modern repainting or restoration.

Construction & Materials
Solid wood construction with turned spindles, shaped arm supports, and stretcher bases. Early iron bolts with hand-cut square nuts are used in the original structure, consistent with pre-industrial or very early industrial Scandinavian furniture construction. See less