Design for Piccolo Pianoforte, Louis Quatorze Style 1835 - 1900

Robert William Hume made this design for a small piano, or ‘piccolo pianoforte’ in the Louis Quatorze style. It's a delicate wash drawing on paper. Hume was a British designer working at a time when the aesthetics of the French court were a popular source of inspiration. The ‘Louis Quatorze’ style, named after the 17th century French King Louis XIV, was associated with elegance, luxury and royal power. By the 19th century it represented a nostalgic vision of aristocratic life before the French Revolution. This design tells us about the cultural aspirations of Hume’s clients. They wanted to associate themselves with the glamour of the past. Examining sources such as design publications and trade catalogues helps us to understand how these historical styles were marketed and consumed in 19th century Britain. It reminds us that the appreciation of art is never separate from its social and institutional context.