Design for Three Low Chairs and Two Pedestal Tables 1800 - 1850

This design for three low chairs and two pedestal tables was drawn by an anonymous artist, at an unknown date, using pen and brown ink on paper. The material itself, humble and unassuming, speaks to the drawing's purpose: to explore ideas, not to be a finished work in itself. Look closely, and you'll see the designs have a gothic sensibility; a revivalist taste popular in the nineteenth century. The designs are intricate, with carefully drawn carvings and decorations. Now, imagine the labor required to produce these pieces. Each cut of wood, each precisely placed carving speaks to the skill of the maker, and the social context of production. Chairs like these were commissioned by wealthy patrons, to show off their good taste. The amount of hand work involved contrasts sharply with the mechanization that defined the era. Considering the materials, making process, and social context allows us to reflect on the distinctions between design, craft, and fine art.