Representations of the chair object in the visual arts from the 19th century to the present

In this thesis, the use of the chair image and the chair object in art history is examined, focusing on its representation as an image in the 19th century and as an object in contemporary art. The chair, utilized across different periods and practices in art, has become an object through which artists create new representations. In Chapter I, the history, definition, and functional uses of the chair are first discussed. Chapter II addresses the historical period from the late 19th century to 1960, focusing on the use of the chair as an image in painting. This analysis begins with Van Gogh's works and continues with Picasso's collages, which contributed to transforming everyday objects into art objects or materials, and Duchamp's concept of the ready-made. Chapter III examines the approaches of artists towards the chair as an object in art practices from 1960 onwards. Significant works from this period include Rauschenberg's assemblages that combine canvas and objects, and Kosuth's installations that use language, photography, and objects as alternatives for representation. In the last part of Chapter II, artists who have used chairs, especially those influenced by Duchamp, Kosuth, and Beuys, from 1980 to the present are featured. In this section, works by artists such as Füsun Onur and Sarkis, who relate the chair to human and artist, as well as works by İsmet Doğan, who uses the chair to question the issue of representation, are included. In Chapter IV, I present my own paintings, influenced by artists who use the chair as an image, a representation, and an object. I explain what I aim to express through the use of this object. The reason for selecting the given examples is that they are works where chairs, rather than figures, are used to represent humans. When we examine the works individually, their subject matter varies, but one of the first things that come to mind is this: Artists who aim to emphasize human and human-specific problems have chosen the object of the chair. It is also observed that some artists address art-specific problems like representation, imagery, and objects, using the chair as either an object or an image. The works presented in chronological order have been compared with similar works in terms of subject and form and are mentioned in the study. The works are not limited to painting or installation; examples from painting, collage, theater plays, and installations are included. In conclusion, the chair has frequently been represented in various disciplines from the modern era to the present.