Armchair c. 1775

This 'Armchair' was crafted by Jean-Baptiste II Tilliard, born in 1723, embodying the luxury and refinement of the 18th century. Imagine this chair not just as a piece of furniture, but as a stage for the performances of power and social rituals. The gilded frame and floral silk upholstery speak volumes about the aristocratic tastes of the time. But it also whispers of the labor and resources extracted from colonies and the working class to fuel such opulence. Who sat here? What conversations unfolded? The chair, in its silence, holds the echoes of a society structured by inequality. Perhaps the most radical act we can now perform is to reimagine who gets to sit, whose stories are told, and whose comfort is valued. We could question whether this chair is a symbol of aspiration, or a reminder of past inequities. The choice is ours.