Stoel en fauteuil 1832 - 1877

These hand-colored lithographs depict a chair and armchair of the Louis XVI era, and were made by an anonymous artist. During the reign of Louis XVI, French society was structured around a rigid hierarchy, with the aristocracy enjoying immense privilege and power. These chairs, symbols of luxury and status, would have been accessible only to the wealthy elite. Think about the unseen labor, the working class, and enslaved people whose exploitation made such opulence possible. Consider the gendered aspects of these objects. How might women have experienced these spaces differently from men, given the social constraints placed upon them? Did these furnishings provide a space for empowerment, or did they reinforce existing power dynamics? These chairs invite us to reflect on the complex relationship between aesthetics, power, and social justice. They remind us that even the most beautiful objects can carry the weight of history and inequality.