Commode Clothes Press, from Chippendale Drawings, Vol. II 1753

Curator: Isn't it lovely? This is a drawing entitled "Commode Clothes Press, from Chippendale Drawings, Vol. II," dating back to 1753. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What do you think? Editor: Well, immediately, it strikes me as a stage set. Or a whimsical blueprint for a theatrical costume. There's something almost gravity-defying about the ornamentation. Curator: Chippendale was incredibly influential, of course. You see echoes of his designs everywhere from furniture to architecture. This particular drawing shows us the design for an elaborate clothes press, or wardrobe. It is, as the name suggests, a commode. It is really intriguing to me the the title uses the French word "commode," since it makes it seem exotic, doesn’t it? Editor: It absolutely does! The elaborate scrollwork has a fantastical, almost liquid quality, especially around what appear to be mirror frames inside the doors. Were clothes presses typically so ornate? It seems less practical storage and more...a declaration. Curator: Exactly. Think of the aristocracy it was made for. Furniture was about status, visual impact and of course about control, and asserting the control of their social milieu. It was about more than functionality; it was about projecting an image of wealth and sophistication. And what better way to showcase that than through flamboyant decoration and imported trends? Editor: That’s interesting how the foreign vocabulary, as you say, implied status and in a way validated authority. It’s a shame the drawing isn’t in colour; it's hard to imagine the textures. Curator: Imagine the textures indeed: The interplay of polished wood, shimmering mirrored glass, perhaps even gilded details… It would have been a feast for the eyes, and I wonder, what type of clothing did it display. What fabrics or silhouettes would have most enhanced its grandeur. Editor: Ah, to travel back and see it filled with silk robes and velvet coats! But even in monochrome, this design speaks volumes. It is truly the essence of high fashion – a beautiful illusion crafted from social desires. Curator: A sentiment I agree with entirely. A fine example of an attempt to fix authority and status through crafted aesthetic wonder.