Muziektafel en kast 1769 - 1820

Johann Carl Schleich made this print of a music table and cabinet with etching around the late 18th or early 19th century. It's a technical drawing, representing the design for an elegant piece of furniture, probably intended for a well-to-do household. This kind of print belongs to a larger culture of design and manufacture, where specialized knowledge was shared through academies, workshops, and publications. It emerged in Europe, where the culture of mercantilism was rising. The Dutch Republic in particular, where Schleich was working, was an important center of trade and craftsmanship. The drawing reflects a society where music and refined objects were becoming increasingly accessible as signs of status. Such drawings help us understand not just the object itself, but the whole system of production and consumption that it embodies. They offer a peek into the world of skilled artisans and wealthy patrons, and the social hierarchies of the time. Looking at resources such as trade records, design manuals, and even household inventories help further illuminate the context for this print.