Small settee (marquise) 1770 - 1785

Editor: We're looking at a "Small settee (marquise)" made between 1770 and 1785, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and attributed to Sulpice Brizard. It looks incredibly delicate, the pale wood and upholstery make it seem almost… ephemeral. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Ephemeral is the perfect word! It reminds me of a forgotten dream. I see this settee and immediately think of whispered secrets, perhaps exchanged over a game of cards in a dimly lit salon. It’s a perfect example of Rococo’s playful elegance. Have you noticed how the lines, while refined, are almost teasingly asymmetrical? Editor: The legs look a bit like twisted rope, which feels… odd, somehow. Not quite as ornate as I expected. Curator: Exactly! And isn’t that tension interesting? Rococo loved its ornamentation, sure, but there's a growing sense of restraint creeping in here. Maybe a subtle hint of Neoclassicism just around the corner? Or maybe I'm reading too much into a chair! What do you think the choice of wood contributes? Editor: Hmmm...I guess the pale color emphasizes the shape and texture rather than bold color contrasts? And maybe speaks to wealth and refined tastes? Curator: Precisely! Think of powdered wigs and shimmering silk gowns... It's all interconnected, a complete vision. This isn't just furniture, it’s a statement about leisure, luxury, and a very particular way of life. A life that was soon to disappear. Editor: It’s funny, seeing something so ornate and thinking about it being part of something that was falling apart. Curator: Indeed! Maybe it *is* a dream. Thanks for the thought provoking reflections!