Tea Chests, in Chippendale Drawings, Vol. I 1754

This is a drawing of tea chests by Thomas Chippendale, made in England in the 18th century. These elaborate designs remind us of the important role of tea in British society at the time. Tea had become a fashionable and highly desirable commodity that was closely associated with wealth. Chippendale’s drawings reflect the rise of consumer culture and the growing demand for luxury goods, not to mention the increasingly globalized economy. The chests themselves would have been made to lock, since tea was so valuable and therefore needed protection. The lower plans on the sheet show how the chests were fabricated, connecting design to production. As art historians, we might research the history of tea, the British East India Company, and the furniture-making industry to understand the deeper context of these drawings. This helps us to understand the social and economic forces that shaped the art of the time.