the rocking chair origin
( background of rocking chairs, 1 of 6 ) .................................................. .................................................. .
references to paintings and prints depicting the rocking motion
initial appearence of rocking furniture
very first rocking chairs
we all are aware that the rocking chair can be a distinctly american passion, its origins, nevertheless, are significantly less distinct.
including skates or rockers towards the bottom of chairs probably developed in the cradle and the rocking horse, which each
predate the rocking chair. apparently nobody thought to utilize the idea to furnishings for adults until the eighteenth century.
the word 'rocker' originated inside the 15th century and indicated the individual accountable for rocking the cradle.
inside the 18th century in addition,
Tiffany Nyc, it meant an orator who set other folks to rest.
anyway, it was not till 1787 which the earliest dated citation ' ROCKING CHAIR' appeared inside the oxford english
dictionary for utilization.
rebis on rocking half-moon detail from
'viatorum spagyricum' , woodcut by h. hamsthaler
germany, 1625
ALCHEMIC ICONOGRAPHY
one in the initial illustrations of the rocking motion
may be present in a current symbol in alchemy:
the rebis - the 're-born' or hermaphrodite - is
standing on a half-moon.
(the king and queen, the 2 are one particular.
the rebis is cursed to permanently roam the shores with the lake,
but is known to possess expertise of issues properly past its
domain. alchemy is the 'maternal darkness' and compensates
for christianity's 'paternal light' along with the aim is usually to
turn into holy oneself, light and dark produced 1).
cradle, detail by piero della francesca
italian early renaissance painter (1415?-1492) CRADLE
ca. 1500, europe
european rocking cradles created of hollowed-out logs date
back again through middle ages.
cradle, detail by andrea mantegna
italian early renaissance painter (1431-1506)
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victorian rocking horse ROCKING HORSE
ca. 1700, europe
the primary rocking horses were almost certainly produced in germany,
though several hail in the victorian era.
yorkshire rocking chair THE CONVERTED ROCKING CHAIR
ca. 1710, england
In the early 18th century, skates were often utilized to
existing chairs, changing them to rockers.
for instance this yorkshire chair dates again to 1630,
but only 80 many years later (ca.1710) curved blades had been mounted on
the legs.
adult-size cradles inside the shaker infirmary,
massachusetts ADULT-SIZED CRADLES
1810, usa
cradles for gently rocking weak or aged invalids.
a ceremony with the circle of existence - from birth, to demise.
the movement almost certainly assisted to avoid bedsores.
manufacturered through the religious shaker communities.