French Commode Table, from Chippendale Drawings, Vol. II 1753

This French Commode Table is a drawing by Thomas Chippendale. Chippendale was an English cabinet-maker whose name became associated with a particular style of furniture design in the 1750s and 60s. In this drawing, the commode table is rendered with close attention to detail and proportion. The drawing's significance lies in its status as a design template. Chippendale created and published design books for prospective clients, pattern books filled with various designs. This drawing, like others by Chippendale, reflects the fashion for the French Rococo style. The market for luxury goods such as furniture fuelled the development of the English manufacturing industries. Chippendale was one of the first designers to mass-produce furniture. Historians and scholars consult design books, trade catalogs, and other visual resources. It gives us insights into the production and consumption of art and design.