Elegant in form and bold in their patriotic symbolism, the present chairs embody the aesthetic and political spirit of early 19th-century America. The klismos chair design was introduced to the American market in the early 19th century and is rooted in the Greco-Roman style. The form is distinguished by its refined silhouette and gently splayed, curved legs, imparting a tapered and graceful profile. In striking contrast to their classical lines, the backs are boldly carved with the emblem of the new republic: an eagle standing proudly with its wings outstretched. When placed side by side, the chairs form a harmonious mirror image, with the eagles turned inward toward one another. Together, they exemplify early American craftsmanship and the convergence of classical influences, national identity, and patriotic sentiment.

According to tradition, the chairs are believed to have been commissioned by Governor George DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828) of New York, and formed part of a set of 12. As Wendy Cooper notes, the distinctive eagle-carved splat appears to have been a special order for Clinton, as this specific form does not appear in New York price books nor is it known on other surviving chairs (Cooper, In Praise of America, New York, 1980, p. 255). The set is consecutively numbered I–XIII, with four chairs descending through the Susan Kittredge Field family (now in the Kaufman Collection, KAF 79.8 a,b) and the remaining eight passing through the Clinton family.

Clinton began his political career as secretary to his uncle, George Clinton (1739–1812), the first governor of New York and later Vice President under both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Governor George DeWitt Clinton continued his family’s lasting political influence in New York. A patron of the American Academy of the Fine Arts, he served as mayor of New York City and governor of New York, and was the principal advocate for the construction of the Erie Canal. His portrait by Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860) sold Christie’s, New York, 19 January 2023, lot 224.

Chairs from this set are illustrated and discussed in the following:
Wallace Nutting, Furniture Treasury (New York, 1933), pl. 2401-02; Nancy McClelland, Duncan Phyfe (New York, 1939), pl. 354; Walter Rendell Storey, “Antiques and Auctions”, The New York Times (December 13, 1942), p. 221; Marvin D. Schwartz, “There’s Good News for Victoriana Collectors”, Antiques (November 17, 1978), p. 22A; Israel Sack, Inc., "Opportunities in American Antiques", Brochure No. 39 (May 1, 1979), pp. 18-19, P4781; Lita Stolis-Cohen, “A Flap of Eagles: Chairs Stir Discussion,” Maine Antique Digest, December 1979, p. 1-5B; Wendy A. Cooper, In Praise of America (New York, 1980), pp. 255-256, no. 295 ; J. Michael Flanigan, American Furniture from the Kaufman Collection (New York, 1980), p. 136-137, no. 49; George M. Kaufman, “Collecting Antiques”, The Magazine Antiques (October 1986), pp. 747, 754, pls. XV, XVa.