Black Chintz on Found Chairs, 2010,
30” x 30” x 40"
In 1903, the famous widow of Ulysses S. Grant and the famous widow of Jefferson Davis found themselves in a West Point, New York resort. Julia was the first to knock on the other’s door announcing, “I am Mrs. Grant,” with Varina responding, “I am very glad to meet you.” And then they had tea.
These chairs celebrate the two heroines of the Civil War, Julia Grant and Varina Davis. The dress skirts were sculpted to evoke the dramatic skirts of a late 19th Century widow.
Fabrication assistance by Corrinne Olsen
Photos by Caleb Crawford
