Twee onderboezems c. 1866 - 1900

Here we see a page from a pattern book showing two fireplace designs rendered with engraving, a process that depends on the meticulous labor of a skilled artisan. The linear quality of engraving emphasizes the carved detail of the fireplace design. The symmetry and precise ornamentation indicate an aspiration to classical refinement, which was highly valued by those who could afford such architectural features. Consider the labor necessary to produce a fireplace like this. First, a designer would draft precise patterns, and skilled stonemasons would then execute the carving. The finished mantel would add an aura of permanence to the room, a demonstration of the owner's financial position and cultural capital. This print, however, makes that aura available to a wider audience. Pattern books offered a democratization of design, circulating aspiration through the burgeoning print market. The distance between the drawing and the object sharpens our awareness of both, and of the social forces that give them meaning.