A Cultural History of Furniture in the Age of Enlightenment

(Hardback)

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Description

The 18th century saw the height of court culture in Europe as well as the beginnings of its demise with conflicts such as the American and French Revolutions. The Scientific Revolution, which had begun in the preceding centuries, also ushered in a new intellectual era which advocated the use of reason to effect change in government and to advance progress in society. For furniture, this meant ever-higher standards of luxury in the designs, techniques and materials utilized for the best pieces, and more structure and specialization in the furniture-making process itself. Furniture also came into its own during this period as a collectable work of art on its own merits. Drawing upon a wealth of visual and textual sources, this volume presents essays that examine key characteristics of the furniture of the period on the themes of Design and Motifs; Makers, Making, and Materials; Types and Uses; The Domestic Setting; The Public Setting; Exhibition and Display; Furniture and Architecture; Visual Representations; and Verbal Representations.

Author Bio

Sylvain Cordier is Paul Mellon Curator and the Head of the Department of European Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, USA. Christina M. Anderson is Research Associate, School of European Languages, Culture and Society, University College London, UK Laura Houliston is Former Senior Curator, English Heritage, UK Laura Houliston