Duchesse in twee delen 1745 - 1775

This print depicts a 'Duchesse brisée en deux', a broken-in-two Duchess chaise lounge. It was made anonymously and is likely an illustrative print from a furniture catalogue. Focusing on materials, consider the chaise lounge itself: it's made with wood, likely carved and gilded, plus textile upholstery. The making of such a piece would have involved multiple craftspeople, each with specialized skills. We can imagine a highly efficient workshop, with labor divided to accelerate production. Now, let's consider the print; the etcher would have used acids and careful technique to capture the texture of the furniture, and its ornamented surfaces. The print itself could be seen as a mode of early advertising. In both instances we can understand the intersection of craft, design, and the social context of production. The chaise lounge embodies the material culture of its time. It invites questions about labor, class, and the ways that design has always been connected to commercial processes.