Overview

The 18th century saw the height of court culture in Europe as well as the beginnings of its demise with conflicts such as the American and French Revolutions. The Scientific Revolution, which had begun in the preceding centuries, also ushered in a new intellectual era which advocated the use of reason to effect change in government and to advance progress in society. For furniture, this meant ever-higher standards of luxury in the designs, techniques and materials utilized for the best pieces, and more structure and specialization in the furniture-making process itself. Furniture also came into its own during this period as a collectable work of art on its own merits. Drawing upon a wealth of visual and textual sources, this volume of A Cultural History of Furniture presents essays that examine key characteristics of the furniture of the period on the themes of design and motifs; makers, making, and materials; types and uses; the domestic setting; the public setting; exhibition and display; furniture and architecture; visual representations; and verbal representations.

Full Product Details

Author:   Dr. Sylvain Cordier (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA) ,  Christina M. Anderson (SELCS-CMII, University College London, UK) ,  Laura Houliston (Former Senior Curator, English Heritage, UK)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
Dimensions:   Width: 16.60cm , Height: 2.40cm , Length: 24.40cm
Weight:   0.620kg
ISBN:  

9781350595712

ISBN 10:   1350595713
Pages:   296
Publication Date:   08 January 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Notes on Contributors Series Preface Introduction, M. B. Aldrich, Independent scholar, UK with Sylvain Cordier, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA 1. Design and Motifs, Barbara Lasic, University of Buckingham, UK 2. Makers, Making, and Materials, Yannick Chastang, independent scholar, UK 3. Types and Uses, Mary-Eve Marchand, Concordia University, Canada 4. The Domestic Setting, Antonia Brodie, Independent Scholar, UK 5. The Public Setting, Jeffrey Collins, Bard Graduate Center, USA 6. Exhibition and Display, Frederic Dassas, Musee du Louvre, France 7. Furniture and Architecture, Peter N. Lindfield, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK 8. Visual Representations, Michael Decrossas, INHA, France and Sylvain Cordier, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, USA 9. Verbal Representations, Tessa Murdoch, Independent Scholar, UK Notes Bibliography Index

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Author Information

Sylvain Cordier is Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, USA. Christina M. Anderson is Principal Research Fellow, SELCS-CMII, University College London, UK. Laura Houliston is Former Senior Curator, English Heritage, UK.

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