In preparation for a trip to France last fall, I looked at photo after photo of rental apartments with grand names – “River View,” Spectacular Dome des Invalides,” “Marais Glamour Studio.” But I kept thinking, “Where is the comfy chair?”
I’m like a dog or cat in my attachment to favorite chairs.
“Yoda on a Favorite Chair,” Carol Crump Bryner, pencil drawing, 1995
A good seat is important for so many activities – reading a book, knitting a scarf, chatting with a friend, drinking tea, eating a cookie, or writing in a journal.
“My Favorite Chair,” Carol Crump Bryner, pencil drawing, 1996
It was hard for me to imagine spending a few weeks without an inviting place to sit. In the end it didn’t matter, because there was so much to see in Paris I spent very little time indoors sitting down.
The rarely used chair in our Paris apartment – the “River View” apartment.
Were my ancestors on Whirlwind Hill comfortable in their chairs? It’s hard to tell from old photos, since most of the pictures show serious men and women sitting still and stiff in straight-backed chairs.
William E. Hall as a young man
Chairs have a human presence. With their arms and legs and seats and backs they seem like friends. So when my brother sent me a photo of an old chair he had recently found and purchased, I felt like I was meeting an ancestor for the first time.
Hezekiah Hall’s chair
The chair belonged to Hezekiah Hall, one of several Hezekiah Halls who once lived in Wallingford. An inscription on a slat under the seat reads,
“A RELIC OF HEZEKIAH HALL AD 1778 GREAT-GRANDFATHER OF WILLIS CHESTER AVERY WHO REJUVENATED IT OCT 1878 WALLINGFORD CONN.”
The inscription on Hezekiah’s chair
A well-preserved relic it is. Although it doesn’t look very comfortable, it has a feeling of dignity and artistic delicacy.
I don’t know very much about the Hezekiah Hall who owned this chair. At some point in my blog research I came across a biography of him, but I haven’t been able to find it again. His chair will have to stand in for him as I search for more information. To me it looks like the chair of an important person. I’ll let you know.
I love to paint and draw chairs. The furniture on the farm and in my parents’ house was so eclectic that it inspired my choices in making art and in furnishing my house. I plan to share some of these paintings and drawings in the weeks to come.
“Northern Light #10,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 38″ x 30″ 2001
Wonderful! My grandmother had a special chair like your chair in “Northern Light #10”! Warm remembrances! Thank you.
Thanks, Sara. Chairs do such a good job of reminding us of loved ones.
I agree about chairs and their placement in the home. When someone enters your home, there needs to be a little standing space before they come into the comfy spot where those places to linger a while in conversation, beckon them to come and sit. The fireplace and the kitchen are areas that seem to welcome someone, with good smells and warmth and crackle. The sunshine in your painting is what we are all looking forward to having more of as Easter approaches and the warmth from inside starts to equal the outdoor temperatures. Maybe later you will show us your favorite outdoor furniture? Love, Becky
Thanks Becky. It’s always so nice to hear from you. Your description makes me think of your house in Maine. I, too, am yearning for more sunshine, but that’s why I paint. So I can have sunshine all year round.
Carol,
What a delightful and charming sequence of works. I’m particularly pleased to know that
you and Kirt are keeping in touch in spite of being on opposite sides of the continent.
Keep up the great endeavor.
Pete Foster of Whirlwind Hill
Good to hear from you Pete. Yes, Kirt and I are close in spite of the miles between us. And we’re united in our love of Whirlwind Hill and its past. Love to both you and Anne
Oh, pictures of Crump chairs – perfect! A treat to look forward to for sure…thanks!
It’s fun to look back and find chairs I had forgotten about!
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