A PAIR OF PORTUGUESE MAHOGANY, WALNUT AND GILT-VARNISHED SILVERED ('MECCA') OPEN ARMCHAIRS

This splendid pair of chairs are instantly recognisable as Portuguese. Their curvaceous lines and clear English influence are characteristic of 18th-century Portuguese craftsmen. This English influence stems from the close ties formed between the two countries beginning with the marriage of Catherine of Braganza, Infanta of Portugal, to King Charles II in 1662. In 1699 Catherine returned to Portugal as a widow, bringing large amounts of English furniture with her. The signing of the Treaty of Methuen in 1703 further sealed the economic ties between Britain and Portugal and as a consequence, their artistic bonds. These chairs appear to be influenced by a Queen Anne prototype, with their curved splats, cabriole legs and crested backs. However, the trailing roses of the cresting are indicative of the mixing of influences seen in Portuguese furniture, and their inclusion may have derived from a knowledge of French design.