Commentary: Dickens's "Smoker's Bow" as the National Chair of England

The famous chair in which Dickens wrote from 1859 until his death in 1870, once his study at Gad's Hill, is now housed in the Dickens Museum in Doughty Street, London. It first appeared in a painting by William Powell Frith entitled Charles Dickens in His Study, and, as Francesca Orestano says, has made "countless visual appearances, in painting and prints," since then, imparting "a sense of emptiness, grief, and nostalgia," and continuing "to convey an odd discursive mixture of realism and fantasy" (71).

As seen in Frith's painting, the chair has typical, crescent-shaped armrests on which the writer, nattily but informally attired, lays his arm:

Notably, his chair is a low-backed variant of the Windsor chair, known as the Smoker's Bow. The Windsor Chair stands as a testament to the tradition of English arts crafted in the artisans' workshops to cater to the daily needs of common folk. It was the only traditional piece of furniture that survived industrial mass production unscathed in design and character, and was thus associated with "the good old times" or the pre-industrial golden age. It became the national chair of England, as its practical virtues — comfort, sturdiness, simplicity, and affordability — gained massive popularity. It was produced in numerous local variations, and found utility in diverse settings: cottages, farmhouses. inns, offices, schools, and beyond. . . .

The Windsor chair, an icon of Englishness, had a perennial appeal to the Victorian public. The modest object, reminiscent of the late author's humanity and common touch, would have stirred a poignant affective response in contemporary viewers. Dickens's chair, with its low back, curved backrest, and gently slanting legs, exudes a sense of ease and informality. One could easily envisage the Victorian master seated there in a relaxed posture during a respite from work. [Choe, 96-97]

Related Material

• Dickens's Study at Gadshill
• The Empty Chair, watercolour by Sir Luke Fildes, R. A. (1870)
• The Empty Chair by Sir Luke Fildes, R. A., in the Christmas number of The Graphic
• The Chalet, in the Shrubbery at Gadshill
• Dickens's Writing Desk at the Chalet

Bibliography

Choe, Jian. "Luke Fildes' The Empty Chair: Innovation and Influence." Dickens Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 1 (March 2025), 86-105.

Orestano, Francesca. "The Empty Chair: Nostalgia, Celebrty, Heritage." Dickens Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 1 (March 2025), 71-85.

Thomson, David Croal. The Art Annual, 1895: The Life and Work of Luke Fildes, R. A. With numerous illustrations. London: The Art Journal Office (294, City Road, and 26, Ivy Lane), Christmas 1895.

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Created 15 July 2005

Last updated 19 April 2025