Design for a Mirrored Cabinet and Two Chairs 1815 - 1840

Curator: The drawing before us, held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is titled "Design for a Mirrored Cabinet and Two Chairs." Attributed to an anonymous artist and dating from 1815 to 1840, it's executed in watercolor and print. Editor: My immediate impression is of delicacy and precision. The pale watercolor gives it an ethereal quality, despite depicting heavy, ornate furniture. Curator: Yes, the mirrored cabinet itself serves as a portal, doesn't it? Mirrors throughout history have symbolized self-reflection, vanity, and even transitions into other worlds. And of course, a symbol of wealth and status. Editor: I'm drawn to the detailed ornamentation, the delicate floral patterns on the chair backs and the sculpted details on the cabinet. These crafted details reveal a clear ambition to express status through decoration. It all screams exclusive production. I want to know more about the process, where these artisans trained, how their workshops operated… Curator: Notice how the lion head motif recurs. In this context, they stand for courage, nobility, but perhaps also dominion – literally lording over the space. The furniture embodies that ideal. This also reflects broader historical styles like Neoclassical and Empire periods, when such symbols gained prevalence during times of political change and assertions of power. Editor: Exactly, the scale alone suggests a grand salon, filled with people of importance! One imagines them using these items, seeing their own reflections multiplied and reinforced within these pieces, participating in a cycle of performance and visual power… How much of these chairs' materials were from near, how much from far away? Curator: Fascinating perspectives. In all, examining “Design for a Mirrored Cabinet and Two Chairs,” reveals the rich intersections of symbolism and craft in domestic space. Editor: Indeed. Thinking about the human element always grounds me, imagining not just those who admired it but all those who physically contributed their labor toward the piece.