Desk (bonheur du jour) 1765 - 1785

This desk, or "bonheur du jour", was crafted by Thomas Chippendale, a prominent 18th-century English furniture maker. During this period, furniture became a symbol of social status and taste, reflecting the burgeoning wealth and global trade networks of the British Empire. Chippendale's designs were heavily influenced by French Rococo, Chinese, and Gothic styles. This desk blends delicate marquetry with classical motifs, like the vase. It embodies the era's fascination with exoticism and the appropriation of global cultures. Pieces like this "bonheur du jour" were often commissioned by wealthy women. Imagine them, seated here, managing correspondence, or engaging in intellectual pursuits. This furniture was not merely functional; it was an integral part of the rituals of elite social life, performed in private boudoirs, or drawing rooms, spaces themselves reflective of gendered divisions. The desk then, embodies the aspirations and constraints of its time.