Ontwerp voor een secretaire c. 1820 - 1823

Carl Wilhelm Marckwort created this design for a secretaire in pen and brush in gray on laid paper. This drawing offers us a peek into the world of 18th-century design, a period defined by both opulence and rigid social structures. Consider the role of furniture in the lives of the elite during this time. Objects like secretaires weren’t just functional, they were statements of status and taste. Within these spaces, secrets were kept, deals were made, and personal thoughts were penned, usually by men. What stories might a secretaire like this hold? Whose secrets would it guard? Perhaps letters of love, or documents of financial transactions that underscored colonial exploitation? While the design appears timeless and neutral, it’s impossible to separate from the power dynamics of its era. Marckwort’s work is a reminder that even the most seemingly innocuous objects are embedded with layers of social meaning and historical context.