Thomas Affleck
Encyclopedia
Thomas Affleck was a cabinetmaker and prominent Pennsylvania
n resident, who specialized in the production of the Chippendale
style of furniture.
, USA
in 1763. His commissions included substantial pieces for Pennsylvania Governor John Penn
including tables, chairs and case furniture.
and was banished to Virginia in 1777 as punishment for his Loyalist
sympathies. The banishment did not affect the flow of furniture commissions, and Affleck was permitted to return to Philadelphia just seven months later.
, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in New York.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
n resident, who specialized in the production of the Chippendale
Thomas Chippendale
Thomas Chippendale was a London cabinet-maker and furniture designer in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs, titled The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director...
style of furniture.
Early life
Affleck was born in Aberdeen, Scotland but came to Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1763. His commissions included substantial pieces for Pennsylvania Governor John Penn
John Penn (governor)
John Penn was the last governor of colonial Pennsylvania, serving in that office from 1763 to 1771 and from 1773 to 1776...
including tables, chairs and case furniture.
American Revolution
Despite a prominent place in Pennsylvanian society, Affleck sided with Great Britain during the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and was banished to Virginia in 1777 as punishment for his Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
sympathies. The banishment did not affect the flow of furniture commissions, and Affleck was permitted to return to Philadelphia just seven months later.
Examples of work
Examples of Affleck's work are displayed in the Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
in New York.