Chest of Drawers by attributed to Eliakim Smith

Chest of Drawers c. 1755

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This "Chest of Drawers" is a prime example of 18th-century American furniture, attributed to the renowned cabinetmaker Eliakim Smith. The piece, dated c. 1755, showcases the typical Rococo-inspired design of the period with its elegant, carved details and a distinctive "broken pediment" top. This form of highboy, featuring a tall chest of drawers atop a smaller base with cabriole legs, was a popular and practical piece of furniture for storing and displaying items in colonial American households. The intricate fan-shaped carvings, often associated with the Rococo style, further enhance the aesthetic appeal of the piece. The chest is currently on display at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Eliakim Smith was one of the most skilled cabinetmakers in the rural Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts. A variety of furniture forms, including chests-on-chests, desks-and-bookcases, and high chests of drawers were made by Smith or those that worked in his shop. The objects have histories in Hadley, Northampton, and other towns around Springfield, Massachusetts. While it is unknown where Smith trained, he adopted the more urban Boston traditions of craftsmanship, as seen here in the stylized flame finials and molded drawer sides.