Hepplewhite Shield Back Chairs
A distinctive trait in the design of Hepplewhite chairs is the now popular "Shield-Back." Having a double curved top and a half ellipse below, the resulting expansive shield shape replaced the narrower splat of prior designs. This has caused many to simply refer to these as shield-back chairs. The shield was filled with various openwork design such as vase forms, three feathers, swags and ribbon, etc.
In contrast to the popular curving cabriole legs of earlier styles, Hepplewhite chairs usually have a serpentine front with tapered and fluted straight legs. These often end in an arrow or spade foot. H-stretchers see a return.
