Chinese Railing, from Chippendale Drawings, Vol. II 1754

This is a plate from Thomas Chippendale's "The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director" which was first published in 1754. The plate features two designs for Chinese railings. The "Chinese" style was a popular trend in European furniture design at the time, and the "Director" was instrumental in disseminating this style across the continent. Chippendale, a prominent English furniture maker, documented many examples of this style, along with other designs for furniture, in the "Director", which made it a highly influential publication throughout the 18th century.