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Drawing

Drawing

  • Place of origin:

    Great Britain, UK (made)

  • Date:

    c. 1765 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    John Linnell, born 1729 - died 1796 (designer)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Ink, pencil, red, yellow and black watercolour

  • Museum number:

    E.145-1929

  • Gallery location:

    Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E, case W, shelf 8, box C7

  • Download image

John Linnell (1729-1796) was the son of the famous furniture maker William Linnell (ca. 1703-1763). Unlike most furniture makers, John Linnell gained a design education at the St. Martin's Lane Academy, which was founded by William Hogarth in 1735. In 1750, aged 21, he joined his father's firm as a designer. On his father's death in 1763, John Linnell took over the family firm. During his lifetime John Linnell produced high quality furniture, which rivalled that of other leading furniture makers such as Thomas Chippendale, John Cobb and William Ince and John Mayhew.

Physical description

Upholstered in red damask, this design for a state bed is exceedingly elaborate. Two kissing figures sit on top of the tester. The carving at the foot of the bed features an earl's coronet. The top of the bed posts feature half-figures with plumes of foliage and kissing birds above their heads. The headboard is solely carved, with a Roman-style portrait of a woman in the centre.

The design features different carving either side on the bed posts and the base moulding, offering different options for the client.

Place of Origin

Great Britain, UK (made)

Date

c. 1765 (made)

Artist/maker

John Linnell, born 1729 - died 1796 (designer)

Materials and Techniques

Ink, pencil, red, yellow and black watercolour

Marks and inscriptions

'Plate Do. 1'

Dimensions

Height: 53.3 mm mount, Width: 38 mm mount, Height: 30.2 mm design, Width: 23.2 mm design

Descriptive line

Design for a state bed, upholstered in red damask; John Linnell.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Helena Hayward and Pat Kirkham,William and John Linnell; eighteenth century London furniture makers (London, ca. 1980), pp. 21 (v1), 5 (v2).

Materials

Pencil; Ink

Techniques

Drawing

Subjects depicted

Bird; Festoons; Figure; Cartouche; Swags; State bed

Categories

Designs

Collection code

PDP

Download image
Qr_O754623
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