A chaise longue is an upholstered seat long enough to support the legs, allowing the sitter to recline, with a raised back or headrest at one end and sometimes a partial back along one side. The name is French, meaning long chair, and the form is closely related to the daybed and the récamier.
Reclining furniture has ancient origins, but the chaise longue as a distinct form emerged in seventeenth and eighteenth-century France, where elegant examples with carved and gilded frames were made for fashionable salons and boudoirs. Some were made in two or three sections that could be used separately or together. In England, Regency chaises longues often featured scrolled ends, sabre or turned legs and rosewood or mahogany frames, reflecting the influence of classical forms. The Victorian period produced many deep-buttoned, generously sprung examples with carved walnut or mahogany frames, often with a shaped back running partway along the length. When buying, collectors check the frame for breaks, the springing and webbing, and whether legs and castors are original. The quality of the upholstery and the choice of covering make a great difference to appearance. A chaise longue suits bedrooms, drawing rooms and window bays, providing a relaxed place for reading.
