Cilindersecretaire 1772 - 1779

This is a design for a "Cilindersecretaire" or cylinder desk, crafted in the late 18th century by Nicolas Dupin. The desk's defining feature is its cylindrical roll-top, a motif resonant with both protection and revelation. The cylinder shape has roots extending far back to ancient Roman architecture, like the arch—a symbol of authority and enclosure, but here, it is domesticated, brought into the realm of private thought. The desk, often adorned with intricate marquetry, becomes a stage for personal dramas. The act of opening the cylinder is not merely functional; it's a ritualistic unveiling. Consider how the circular form echoes in Renaissance paintings: the halos, the architectural domes, the Ouroboros eating its tail, a symbol of cyclical return and eternal transformation. The cylinder, too, embodies this idea. Just as the serpent perpetually recreates itself, so too does our inspiration. This is not a linear progression but a spiraling ascent, where past influences resurface and reshape themselves in our present. As the desk opens, it reveals not just a surface for writing, but also the layers of history embedded within its very form.