Antique Savonarola, curule and 'X' chairs

The Savanarola chair or "X" chair originated in medieval Italy and the style spread through Europe especially Spain. Production in the Renaissance style continued to the 19th century, sometimes with carved decoration to the back and arms. Some versions folded, whilst others were rigid. They often had a wooden seat, which accommodated a cushion for comfort. Contrast this with the English Glastonbury chair, a type of folding chair, where, from a side view, the legs form an "X". They were supposedly named after a design of a similar chair by the Abbot of Glastonbury in the16th century.