Twee boekenkasten 1895

Curator: This print, titled "Twee boekenkasten," which translates to "Two Bookcases," was created by Léon Laroche in 1895. The medium is a print, likely from a larger catalogue of designs, showcasing different furniture styles. What strikes you upon seeing this, before we dive deeper? Editor: There's a serene formality to these renderings. The line work is precise and gives these objects weight and a certain austere elegance, but at the same time they also come across as very traditional, if not almost frozen in the past. Curator: Indeed. These designs reflect a fascination with historical styles. The bookcase on the left is labelled "Bibliotheque Renaissance," invoking the Italian Renaissance with its arched windows and prominent ornamentation. The right bookcase is "Bibliotheque Louis XVI," embracing the Neoclassical style associated with that French monarch. Editor: The historical reference points feel quite intentional here. I'm curious about who this image was intended for. Were these designs practically used in mass-produced furniture for a growing middle class, or perhaps destined for a wealthy elite wanting to assert their position by showing reverence for specific moments in history? Curator: Good questions. This image comes from a period of intense debate around design and production. The Arts and Crafts movement was reacting against industrialization, advocating for handcrafted quality, but these designs suggest an alternative path: applying historical styles to what could have been mass-produced furniture. It allowed one to imbue the "new" with historical respectability. Editor: It's that tension between "old" and "new" that fascinates me. We are talking about two concepts of home and the meanings we associate with it. They both speak to certain ideas of refinement, perhaps social climbing, and of aligning with accepted historical narratives. They are both playing with a narrative. Curator: Right. The intended audience would very likely be part of the aspiring classes seeking status. They are creating a narrative of history, domesticity and self through consumer choice. This print offers a glimpse into the cultural aspirations of the late 19th century. Editor: These bookcases, these period rooms that may never have existed, offer a commentary on class, identity, and the ways in which the past is selectively remembered and reproduced. Curator: A pertinent thought, perhaps a perfect reason to contemplate on one’s way out of this exhibit!