Cornices for Beds or Windows, in Chippendale Drawings, Vol. I 1754

This 1754 design plate by Thomas Chippendale, titled "Cornices for Beds or Windows," is a detailed pen and ink drawing illustrating five variations for decorative bed or window cornices. Chippendale, a leading furniture designer of the English Rococo period, is known for his extravagant, highly ornamented pieces, which are often inspired by the natural world, as evidenced in this plate by the use of stylized leaves, flowers, and scrolls. These designs reflect the taste for the ornate and fanciful prevalent in mid-18th century England. The plate is part of the first volume of Chippendale's influential "The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director," a book that served as a sourcebook of design for furniture makers across England and the colonies.