Biedermeier style in furniture mostly reflected the simplicity of its neoclassical influences, but particularly after the mid-1820s designers and furniture makers increasingly experimented with more playful figurative and decorative elements. This chair, which dates from the 1830s or 1840s, features a classic inlay, as well as gracefully curved swans’ necks that frame a carved medallion. Such flourishes provided for a bit of extra luxury, as evidenced not only through ornamentation but also materials and craftsmanship. They also allowed the owners of such pieces to assert their individuality by departing from standardized tastes in an era of ever-wider consumption.