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Furniture Design

1762-70 (designed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Thomas Chippendale was a fashionable designer and cabinet-maker in the eighteenth-century, providing furniture to such famous contemporary figures as David Garrick. His company produced high-quality furniture, including some key masterpieces, but Chippendale's outstanding skill was in design. His pattern-book The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director went through three editions in the 1750s and 60s and inspired trade catalogues and pattern-books from fellow designers. Usually produced by architects, a large, elegant pattern-book was an ambitious project for a craftsman at this time. The Director showed the full range of furniture available in the eighteenth century, and the range of styles that were fashionable. Chippendale created a trademark fusion of rococo style with Chinese and gothic elements, which was the basis of 'English' rococo. His style influenced furniture design in contemporary Europe and colonial America, and had a marked Victorian revival in England. The Director designs were the main source for Chippendale's high reputation until his furniture was first identified in 1906.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink on paper
Brief description
A traced design of an organ case in pen and ink on paper, after Chippendale, London, 1762-70
Physical description
A design for an organ case, roughly drawn, with the dimensions indicated. The seat and keyboard are at the centre beneath an ornamented neo-classical pediment and with panelling to either side; the whole topped with five columns of pipes, the central column and outer pair being taller, and all five topped with ornamental moulding. The motifs in the moulding are unclear, except for a cherub with a trumpet in the central section.
Dimensions
  • Height: 344mm
  • Width: 204mm
Style
Production typeCopy
Marks and inscriptions
  • An Organ

    Note
    Title in black ink to top centre.

  • T Chippendale invt. et delt

    Note
    Signature in black ink to bottom left corner

    Translation
    Designed and drawn by T. Chippendale

  • 11 feet

    Note
    Width indicated with arrow in black ink

  • 23 feet

    Note
    Height indicated in black ink

Object history
This tracing was found inside an organ-case of similar design which was bequeathed to the museum by Mr J. M. Courage in 1931 and is now in the Furniture Department (W.37:1 to 5-1931).
Historical context
The original design appeared as Plate 105 in the third edition of Chippendale's pattern-book The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director.
Production
Attribution note: Tracing after Chippendale design
Subject depicted
Summary
Thomas Chippendale was a fashionable designer and cabinet-maker in the eighteenth-century, providing furniture to such famous contemporary figures as David Garrick. His company produced high-quality furniture, including some key masterpieces, but Chippendale's outstanding skill was in design. His pattern-book The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director went through three editions in the 1750s and 60s and inspired trade catalogues and pattern-books from fellow designers. Usually produced by architects, a large, elegant pattern-book was an ambitious project for a craftsman at this time. The Director showed the full range of furniture available in the eighteenth century, and the range of styles that were fashionable. Chippendale created a trademark fusion of rococo style with Chinese and gothic elements, which was the basis of 'English' rococo. His style influenced furniture design in contemporary Europe and colonial America, and had a marked Victorian revival in England. The Director designs were the main source for Chippendale's high reputation until his furniture was first identified in 1906.
Associated object
Bibliographic references
  • The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director, 1762, pl.105
  • 'An Organ Case from Chippendale's design' by Ralph Edwards in Country Life, vol. 70 (Sep. 1931), p.259
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1949, London: HMSO, 1961.
Collection
Accession number
E.263-1949

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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