Design for Three Sets of Shelves on Casters 1800 - 1850

Editor: We're looking at a design from sometime between 1800 and 1850, "Design for Three Sets of Shelves on Casters," currently housed at The Met. It seems to be a pencil and etching print. The shelves have this… regal quality to them, yet it’s a design for furniture, something practical. How should we interpret that tension? Curator: It's fascinating how this drawing reflects the Neoclassical ideals of the era. These designs present an intriguing tension. While seemingly utilitarian, the shelves possess an undeniable air of stateliness. In that era, furniture design was directly impacted by political imagery – especially by revolutionary ideals that emphasized virtue and civic duty. Do you see anything within the design itself that supports this observation? Editor: The symmetrical shapes, perhaps? And the way they look almost like miniature temples, or simplified government buildings… Curator: Precisely. Notice how the shelves are elevated on casters. It all points to how social class impacted even simple household items, such as shelves. Editor: That makes sense! Almost as though these shelves were designed not just for storage, but for a subtle display of status. Is it common to find furniture treated with such historical importance? Curator: Absolutely. The applied ornament reveals an important socio-historical framework about cultural preferences and elite ideals that manifested across a diverse range of cultural artifacts, including drawings like these. And that connection speaks volumes about how we perceive objects and understand status and value throughout time. Editor: It’s funny, I had initially perceived them as ‘just’ shelves; I now have an understanding of furniture design being reflective of something bigger! Curator: Exactly. By understanding that these shelves were more than decorative, we get an accurate sense of social values and power structures prevalent at that moment.