Fauteuil en stoel 1885 - 1895

Editor: This drawing, titled "Fauteuil en stoel," likely created between 1885 and 1895 by Léon Laroche, features these fantastical armchairs rendered in watercolor. The details, the tassels, the elaborate trim...they strike me as ridiculously opulent. What's your take on it? Curator: Indeed. Consider the late 19th century context. The rise of industrial production allowed for wider access to decorative arts, influencing tastes and aspirations of the bourgeoisie. These chairs represent a certain theatricality—a performance of wealth. It also references shifts in interior design fueled by access to global markets; imagine what kind of sitting room this "fancy chair" would occupy. Do you get a sense of the aspirational values it embodies? Editor: Absolutely. It's not just about comfort, but about conveying a particular image of leisure and refinement. This definitely has an “old money” aesthetic. Curator: Perhaps...But “old money” usually shies away from the flamboyant, isn't it? In a sense, drawings like these, circulated in publications, democratized luxury by offering designs that could then be copied, or simply aspired to. Were they for aristocratic consumption, or something aimed at aspiring classes? Editor: That's a good point, it could be an aspirational advertisement. So it’s less about old wealth, and more about the *desire* for wealth being sold. I hadn’t thought about it that way before. Thank you for making that distinction. Curator: Always a pleasure to re-examine assumptions, and observe objects in relation to larger social phenomena. It transforms how we interpret these items!