Corner cupboard on low legs, of pine, painted white with Chinoiserie decoration in green

Bow fronted standing corner cupboard with dark green and white painted decoration. The cupboard, which has a single door, is fitted with a single shelf

Acquired through the generosity of H. E. Trevor, Esq., with the co-operation of some admirers of David Garrick

Made in the London workshop of Thomas Chippendale Sr (1718-1779) for the actor David Garrick (1717-1779)for his Thames-side villa at Hampton, Middlesex (now Greater London), about fourteen miles west of London. Chippendale had also supplied furniture for Garrick's London house in the Adelphi development near the Strand. Garrick purchased his villa ready furnished in 1754. In 1757 the decorative painter Jean Pillement decorated the drawing room with festive Chinoiserie panels. In 1765 the architect Robert Adam (1728-1792) re-modelled the house. Chippendale worked for Garrick at Hampton for at least ten years from about 1768 to 1778. It is clear from later correspondence (including complaints from Mrs Garrick) that Chippendale worked on pieces for the house over a long period. Records show that Garrick favoured this light, painted style more than heavy gilding. Low corner cupboards such as this one were a French fashion, usually supplied in pairs, but Garrick appears only to have had one.

After Garrick's death his wife retired to the villa though she retained the Adelphi house. When she died in 1822 at the age of 98, the contents of the Adelphi house were auctioned. The villa was sold by Garrick's trustees to Thomas Carr, his widow's solicitor, who also purchased many of the contents when they were auctioned in 1823. On Carr's death in 1838, the villa and the heirlooms were bought bu Sylvanus Phillips and in 1861 they passed to his son who finally sold off the contents in 1864, when it was purchased by H. Hill. Mr H.E. Trevor, who was instrumental in organising the donation of a large group of Garrick's furniture to the V&A in 1917 (W.22-1917 to W.32-1917; also associated are W.70-1916 and W.14-1994) was a descendant of David Garrick's brother George. This corner cupboard was part of a large donation of furniture from Garrick's bedroom (plus an additional press bed).Inventory numbers W.21 to W.32-1917. The bed had already been donated to the Museum (W.70-1916). In 1994 the Museum was also give one of the pair of small bookcases from this room (W.14-1994).






Museum negative 74591 shows this on display in Gallery 40 in 1936 as part of a display of Georgian furniture.

Reason For Production: Commission

The cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale supplied this cabinet to his friend and patron, the great actor David Garrick (1717–70). It was to go in Garrick’s villa on the bank of the River Thames at Hampton, Surrey. For the furniture of their villa, Mr and Mrs Garrick chose a light-hearted painted style, with Chinoiserie, or Chinese-style, decorations. This cabinet was for their bedroom. It matched the bed, two wardrobes and a small bookcase, which are all now part of the V&A collections (W.70-1916 and W.21 to 32-1917). In form, low corner cupboards like this one copied French fashions. In France, a pair of corner cupboards was often made to match a commode, or chest of drawers. Chippendale also supplied more formal furnishings for David Garrick's London house in Adelphi Terrace.

W.24:1, 2-1917