Hoekkast en vide poche 1772 - 1779

This is a design for a corner cabinet and a 'vide poche,' or catch-all, made around 1775 by Nicolas Dupin. The drawing meticulously renders what would have been fairly typical furnishings for a well-appointed home. The designer has put considerable emphasis on the cabinetwork, showing the refined joinery that would be needed to bring these objects to life. Consider, for example, how the legs of the furniture transition seamlessly into the body, with sinuous curves and decorative flourishes. We can imagine these pieces, realized in walnut or cherry, enlivened by gilded bronze mounts. These details speak to the highly developed system of luxury production that flourished in Paris at this time, with specialized workshops responsible for each aspect of the design. It’s easy to overlook drawings like these, but they are vital evidence of the close relationship between design, labor, and consumption in the pre-industrial era. They remind us that even the most functional objects are the result of skilled craftsmanship and a complex web of social relations.