Canapé c. 1793 - 1795

This Canapé, with its unknown maker, presents us with a fascinating tableau of symbols woven into domestic life. The cherubs and garlands adorning the fabric are more than mere decoration; they are carriers of classical memory. These motifs, deeply rooted in antiquity, resurface here, echoing the Renaissance's embrace of classical forms. We see cherubs, reminiscent of ancient depictions of Eros, gods of love, intertwined with garlands, symbols of celebration and the cyclical nature of life. Yet, in this domestic setting, their meaning shifts slightly. The cherubs, once powerful figures of desire, are domesticated. No longer harbingers of chaos, they become emblems of a refined sensibility. The garlands, though still celebrating life, are tamed into a pattern, controlled and orderly. This taming of powerful symbols reveals a deep human impulse to manage and make peace with the chaotic forces of life. A reminder of the past, reshaped and repurposed for the present.