Canapé 1832 - 1877

This print from an unknown hand depicts a Louis XVI style canapé. The print comes from a catalogue titled “Le Magasin de Meubles”, which translates to “The Furniture Store”. Such a store would have been unthinkable before the late eighteenth century. Aristocratic families would have commissioned furniture directly from cabinetmakers. But with the rise of a middle class in France, new markets developed that blurred the lines between artisanal production and commercial enterprise. The print itself performs a crucial function in this transition, providing a mass-produced image of an otherwise bespoke object. Note the number in the upper left corner, indexing the print as one of many in the series. To understand this image better, we might consult business records, trade organisation archives, or even surviving pieces of furniture. In doing so, we recognize how institutions and market forces were at play in the creation and circulation of this imagery.