Table 1937

Alfred H. Smith made this watercolor of a table sometime in the 20th century. But why make a painting of a piece of furniture? Well, this wasn't just any table, but a carefully measured and rendered depiction of an antique. We can't know Smith's intentions for sure, but we do know that, in the first half of the 20th century, American decorative arts were being actively collected, exhibited in museums, and used as models in design schools. These collecting and educational efforts took on a patriotic overtone. The idea was that in the face of industrialization, immigration, and other unsettling changes, Americans could find a source of stability and national identity in the designs of their colonial forebears. Historians working on decorative arts consider many factors. Auction and museum records show how tastes have changed over time; design publications and company archives can tell us about the cultural aspirations that were invested in furniture like this.