Side Chair 1859

Editor: This is a side chair, created in 1859 by Joseph Meeks & Sons. The piece appears to be made of carved wood. There is something so ornate and precious about it. What strikes you most about it? Curator: It’s crucial to consider the labour involved in such intricate carving. Think about the workshop practices, the division of labor. Were these family businesses or did they rely on a workforce, perhaps even enslaved labor given the date and location in the United States? The very idea of "decorative art" itself challenges a rigid separation from "fine art." It urges us to consider this as a commodity. Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn't really considered it as an object created through complex economic relations and production process. So, it being "decorative" tells us it has value due to its craft? Curator: Exactly. Rococo style, evident here, often signaled wealth and status through extravagant detail and specialized craft. But who has access to this kind of comfort and craftsmanship and under what circumstances? It wasn't just artistry; it was labor and materials carefully curated to appeal to specific social classes and consumers. Consider the global trade networks needed to obtain certain woods or fabrics at the time. What was consumed to create the object and who consumed the object? Editor: I’m starting to look at it quite differently now. The chair as a product of social and material history, not just aesthetics. Curator: Precisely. Recognizing the work in art highlights often invisible hierarchies between ‘art’ and ‘craft’. This invites questions about who makes art, what makes art valuable, and how art reinforces power structures. Editor: I never would have thought to approach a chair this way. I now understand this approach, thank you. Curator: It helps in understanding what’s at stake when we define "art."