Cabinet Design 1800 - 1900

This delicate design for a cabinet, created by an anonymous artist, presents a compelling study in form and function. The cabinet's design is laid out on a small sheet using graphite and watercolor. The symmetrical structure is immediately striking, with its curved glass sides flanking a central, mirrored panel. The use of line and colour work together to define the object, but also to suggest depth and light. The structure is defined by detailed columns and mouldings. The mirrored panel is a void space in the center that draws in the surrounding environment, implicating the artwork's surroundings. The artist destabilizes conventional categories of interior versus exterior by turning the design into a reflective interface. The composition suggests a desire to create an object that is not only functional but also engages in a dialogue with the space it inhabits. The cabinet becomes a site of ongoing interpretation, reflecting both the room and the viewer, and inviting a re-evaluation of our relationship with the objects that surround us.