Designs for Two Chairs 1841 - 1884

This watercolor on paper, "Designs for Two Chairs," was made by Charles Hindley and Sons in London. The Hindley firm produced designs for furniture, upholstery and interior decoration throughout the 19th century, catering to Britain’s expanding middle and upper classes. The Hindley firm was part of a growing industry that aimed to provide fashionable and comfortable furnishings for an increasingly consumerist society. The design of these chairs reflects both an interest in comfort and the prevailing aesthetic tastes of the time. These designs, though seemingly innocuous, speak to the broader social conditions that shaped the demand for such products. Consider the rise of industrial production, the expansion of trade networks, and the increasing wealth of certain segments of society. By consulting primary source materials, such as trade catalogs, inventories, and accounts, we can begin to understand the economic and social forces that shaped the production and consumption of decorative arts during this period. Art history can illuminate the social structures of its own time.