Negress Chaise

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A prototype chaise lounge created by Simone Brewster titled Negress Chaise. Made of ebonized tulipwood, the chaise consists of an elongated platform (a) with a long, flat seat that angles into a reclining backrest with a flat shelf-like ledge at the top. A cushion (b) made of foam and upholstered in black leather fits onto the flat seat portion. The platform rests on four legs, two shorter legs at the foot and two longer legs supporting the back. All four legs are designed to represent Black female body parts. At the foot of the chaise, one leg is in the form of a spherical breast with a nipple protruding at an angle at the corner, and the other leg is in an oblong, tubular form that runs the length of the seat.

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