Venster met gordijnen en hemelbed met draperieën 1832 - 1877

This print of a window with curtains and a canopy bed was made at an unknown date by an anonymous artist. Images such as these were not necessarily intended as art, but as a record of material culture. It is titled “The Furniture Store”. The image demonstrates the drapery and decor for a young girl's room and the print was published by V. Quétin in Paris. France in the 18th and 19th centuries saw a rapid expansion in the commercial availability of consumer goods, alongside the development of marketing and advertising. Publications such as this print would have served as a way for furniture-makers to disseminate their designs, and for consumers to participate in the latest trends. The historian might examine related trade publications and business records of the period to understand the market for furniture and textiles, the social class for which the furniture was intended, the cultural values that the decor embodied, and the institutions that supported the production and distribution of such goods.