Writing table 1757 - 1768

This writing table was made by Joseph Baumhauer, a Parisian ébéniste, in the mid-18th century. It is a striking example of the luxury furniture produced for the French aristocracy before the Revolution. Baumhauer's table is a product of its time, embodying the Rococo style with its curved lines, ornate gilded bronze mounts, and rich wood veneers. These features were not merely decorative; they signalled the wealth and status of the owner, reinforcing social hierarchies. The table was made at a time when the French monarchy and aristocracy enjoyed unparalleled power and privilege. Objects such as this played a role in maintaining the cultural values of the institution of the monarchy itself. To truly understand this table, we need to examine the social and economic conditions of 18th-century France. Tax records, guild archives, and royal inventories are valuable resources in determining the ways in which the design, production, and consumption of luxury goods were interwoven with the politics of the Ancien Régime. As historians, it is our job to peel back the layers of history and reveal the complex web of social relations embedded in this beautiful object.