Sideboard Table, from Chippendale Drawings, Vol. II 1755 - 1765

This is a design for a Sideboard Table, from Chippendale Drawings, Vol. II, created by Thomas Chippendale, likely in the mid-18th century, with pen and ink on paper. Here we see the qualities of draftsmanship, using line and geometry to plan a piece of furniture. Note that there is a tension between the straight lines of the table's structure and the elaborate gothic tracery around the edges, suggesting a revivalist tendency. In fact, Chippendale made his name by publishing a catalogue of furniture patterns, which could then be ordered and manufactured in workshops around England. The drawing exemplifies an early modern method of production. Chippendale was not a craftsman in the traditional sense, working with his hands, but rather an entrepreneur, employing teams of skilled workers to realize his visions. This design, therefore, speaks to a new kind of labor: less about individual artistry, and more about coordinated manufacturing and widespread distribution. Ultimately, this drawing reminds us that even seemingly straightforward designs are deeply embedded in complex social and economic conditions.