Canapé en drie stoelen 1885 - 1895

Léon Laroche made this print, 'Canape en drie stoelen,' depicting Louis XVI style furniture. The printmaking process itself, likely lithography, allowed for the wide dissemination of design ideas to workshops and potential clients. Consider the materials represented here: carved wood, luxurious textiles, and meticulous upholstery. These were crafted using a combination of skilled handwork and emerging industrial techniques. Furniture like this would have required specialized labor, from cabinetmakers to weavers, each playing a role in the final product. The Louis XVI style, with its emphasis on refined elegance and classical motifs, reflects the tastes of the aristocracy. But beyond its aesthetic appeal, this kind of furniture also tells a story of social class and economic power. The amount of labor involved in the production process highlights the relationship between consumption, production, and social hierarchy in 18th-century France. By looking at this print, we begin to understand how design, materials, and modes of production are intertwined with wider social issues, blurring the lines between art, craft, and industry.