Chippendale sofa c. 1770

This Chippendale sofa, of unknown date, was made by an anonymous artist. It can be easy to look past furniture like this, but think about the kind of conversations that this sofa witnessed. Who sat here? What were they thinking? The Chippendale style was popular among the elite, and it signifies a certain kind of wealth and status. So, while the maker of this particular piece may be unknown, it's design suggests it was made for a certain class of person. Consider the role of women in maintaining the domestic sphere. Were they relegated to these seats for domestic duties? Think about how the floral pattern might have been selected to project an image of refined femininity. This sofa, then, isn't just a place to sit, but a stage upon which narratives of power, gender, and identity are constantly performed.