Drawing
ca.1738-ca.1776 (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 and wash on paper |
Brief description | Two designs for 'French' chairs, in pen, ink and wash on paper, Chippendale. |
Physical description | Two designs for upholstered 'French' chairs, only slightly different from each other. The right-hand design is fully drawn with simple rococo ornament to the back, arm and legs, with bracket feet and with the upholstery nails drawn in. Only the front two legs are visible. The left-hand design has the rococo back fully drawn with ornament, and an outline rococo arm, but the seat and legs are in outline only, in a plain square design without upholstery and with the stretcher drawn in. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Production type | 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. |
Collection | |
Accession number | D.712-1906 |
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Record created | June 30, 2009 |
Record URL |
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