Canapé after 1878

This is an undated drawing of a settee, or canapé, likely created as a sample for a furniture maker. The floral stripes recall the elaborate textiles that were fashionable among the French aristocracy. Consider how objects like this sofa functioned as stages for social interactions. Who was invited to sit, and who was excluded? In what ways does such a piece announce status and wealth? The design of the settee reflects the emphasis on formality and elegance that defined upper-class culture, and how gender roles and expectations were often reinforced through material objects. Notice the delicate floral pattern, and the ornate details. Whose labor went into making this object? What stories do these silent pieces of furniture tell?