Design for a One-armed Sofa 1800 - 1850

This is an anonymous design for a one-armed sofa, rendered in graphite on paper. It seems likely that this design comes from France, given the flamboyant Rococo style that was fashionable in the French courts of the 18th Century. Consider the social implications of such a design. Who could actually use such a piece of furniture? It may have been designed for a woman in a large dress. It might have been designed for someone who had lost the use of an arm. However, because this is a one-off design, it is most likely to be for an aristocratic woman who wanted to recline without crushing the voluminous skirts of her court dress! As historians, we can ask, what was the social function of courtly life and how was that expressed through fashion and design? How do the institutions of court dictate what is made? To understand objects like this fully, we need to consult fashion plates, books about social customs, and the inventories of wealthy households.