Schouw met tableau 1885 - 1895

Léon Laroche made this print of a Schouw met tableau, or mantelpiece with a panel, as part of a portfolio of interior designs. It's not dated, but was probably made at the turn of the 20th century. This design evokes the French Renaissance, a period of artistic flourishing and courtly display that began in the 16th century. The mantelpiece imitates the classical forms and decorative motifs valued at that time. Note the pilasters, the egg-and-dart molding, and the figurative panel. These elements visually signaled wealth, taste, and education, and they would have appealed to affluent Parisians eager to associate themselves with a prestigious cultural heritage. But this isn't a historical artifact; it's a new design, made at a time when industrial production was rapidly changing the landscape of art. Consulting publications like Le Garde-Meuble would have been crucial for designers adapting historical styles for modern tastes.