Cabinet Design with Black Doors and Red Interior 1800 - 1900

This design for a cabinet with black doors and a red interior was made by an anonymous artist, using watercolor and ink on paper. The intense, jewel-toned colors and elaborate details speak to the high craft and artistry in luxury furniture production. Notice the contrast between the solid black doors, ornamented with delicate silver patterns, and the plush red interior, visible through the curved glass panels. The design suggests a careful selection of materials - perhaps ebony for the doors, with velvet or silk for the interior lining. The cabinet would have required the skills of various artisans, from cabinetmakers and woodcarvers to glassmakers and upholsterers. All that labor served the needs of elite consumption. While we don't know the specific social context of this design, it clearly represents a world of refined taste and expense. Appreciating the work involved in creating such an object reminds us of the social relations embedded in design.