Twee fauteuils 1885 - 1895

Léon Laroche's print presents two armchairs, likely made as a design proposal for furniture production. The print belongs to a broader culture of design and manufacture that developed in France and other parts of Europe from the 18th century onwards. The image creates meaning through its visual codes, using color and ornamentation to denote the two different styles of chair. The armchair on the left, titled "Fauteuil Anglais" (English Armchair) signals cultural exchange through the international designation of style. The armchair on the right is titled "Fauteuil Crapaud" (Toad Armchair), which tells us of the cultural associations of this piece. The print is an interesting example of an institutional history of design. Publications such as this one offered proposals for the design of domestic interiors for a growing middle class. The historian can study such images alongside trade records, census data, and other archival material, to better understand the social contexts of their production and consumption. In so doing, we come to understand how social norms shape artistic production.