Guéridon 1805 - 1815

This side table, called a Guéridon, was created by Werner & Mieth in Berlin. Furniture like this often served as silent witnesses within the domestic spaces of the wealthy, embodying a complex interplay of gender, class, and power. Consider the implications of such elaborate ornamentation in a society marked by stark disparities in wealth and privilege. What narratives of empire and exploitation are embedded in the materials and aesthetics of this table, produced by German artisans? The Gueridon is crafted from gilded bronze and topped with a stone that swirls with earth tones. Picture this table in a lavishly decorated room; perhaps holding a vase of flowers, a porcelain tea set, or a small sculpture. Imagine the conversations it might have overheard, the secrets it might have kept. It is a potent symbol of status, taste, and the social hierarchies of its time. Its very presence speaks to the cultural values and artistic sensibilities of an era defined by both opulence and inequality.