Sofa 1859

Editor: This is "Sofa," created around 1859 by Joseph Meeks & Sons. It’s currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Made with carved wood, it's wonderfully elaborate! I’m immediately drawn to the craftsmanship; it feels like a throne rather than just a sofa. What strikes you most about it? Curator: Well, firstly, imagine the conversations this sofa has overheard! For me, it's the audacity of the form – so flamboyant. Every curve and flourish screams luxury. It embodies a kind of optimistic exuberance prevalent in pre-Civil War America. Do you think it invites relaxation, or something grander? Editor: Hmm, "relaxation" isn't quite the word that springs to mind. More like posing dramatically while discussing empire waistlines! Curator: Exactly! It’s performative comfort, wouldn't you say? But consider also the skill involved. Each carved element, each perfectly fitted piece of fabric – they speak to a culture of incredible artistry, striving to showcase wealth and taste through material objects. It feels almost excessive, don't you agree? Editor: Absolutely, it’s maximalism before maximalism was a thing! I'd never considered furniture having such a… loud… historical voice. Curator: Furniture *is* history! These objects are silent witnesses. Ponder what kind of status this represented back then, and how different our ideas about luxury are today. Perhaps that sofa holds a mirror up to our own desires, doesn't it? Editor: It does make you think. Thanks; I will see furniture in a completely different light going forward! Curator: Likewise; it is a gift, isn’t it, when an object this opulent still makes us pause and question?