Wandmeubel en tafel 1895 - 1935

This print by Léon Laroche depicts a design for a sideboard and table. The print likely dates from the late 19th or early 20th century, a period when industrialization was transforming furniture production and consumption. The image is likely part of a catalogue intended to promote particular styles, here of furniture, and was perhaps targeted at middle-class consumers seeking to furnish their homes in an up-to-date manner. The careful detailing and classical references speak to a desire for refinement. However, the efficient depiction of the furniture also suggests an acknowledgement of industrial production. To truly understand this print, one needs to consider the broader economic and social changes taking place at the time and how taste and style served as a way to define social status. By exploring archives of trade publications and exhibition catalogues, we can begin to understand the public role of art in shaping consumer culture. The meaning of this artwork is tied to social and institutional context.