Twee chaise longues 1895

Léon Laroche created this print of two chaise longues. The prints show two different designs for furniture in the Louis XVI style, which can be situated in the late 18th century, France. These designs, published by Maison Bouan et Fils, are meant to be viewed in the context of ‘L'Ameublement’, a collection of simple designs, and they speak to a specific kind of institutional history: the history of interior design. These designs served as a guide for furniture makers and interior decorators. The designs reflect a particular aesthetic associated with the French aristocracy, and they comment on the social structures of that time, in that the prints sought to disseminate the Louis XVI style to a wider audience. To fully understand the social and institutional context, one might consult auction catalogs, trade journals, and design publications from that time. This helps us see that the meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context.