Designs for side chairs 1700 - 1800

These designs for side chairs were made anonymously, with graphite on paper. It is quite interesting to consider design elements during this time, and how something as simple as a chair can become a social signifier. These designs speak to the burgeoning culture of domesticity and the rising middle class. The chairs, with their delicate lines and decorative details, were intended for a specific type of person and space, namely the home of someone with enough wealth to care about the aesthetics of their furniture. The anonymity of the artist is striking; consider the labor and skill involved in crafting such designs, and yet the individual behind them remains unknown. This piece invites us to think about who gets to create, whose creations are valued, and whose stories are told in the grand narrative of art history. It reminds us that even the most functional objects can carry layers of social and personal meaning.