Friday, November 14, 2014

Birth of 18th Century Design

Mechanical Roll-Top Desk
A new exhibit at Versailles.
he exhibition offers a glimpse of the ingenuity of a bygone era viewed from a present-day perspective and showcases the innovative and avant-garde nature of the shapes, techniques, decorations and materials used in 18th century furniture.
The exhibition includes around 100 major works from collections at the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre Museum, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the Palace of Fontainbleau and the Getty Museum, alongside works from private collections which will be on show to the public for the first time.
Cabinets, desks, writing tables, commodes and console tables, but also sofas, armchairs, folding chairs and seating chairs will testify to the revolution that the 18th century brought about in the history of furniture, a reflection of the evolving tastes of a society enamoured by modernity and wanting to live in comfort and luxury.
- See more at: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/news-/events/expositions/18e-aux-sources-du-design-en#sthash.8V24b9MG.dpuf

Madame de Mailly's Commode

he exhibition offers a glimpse of the ingenuity of a bygone era viewed from a present-day perspective and showcases the innovative and avant-garde nature of the shapes, techniques, decorations and materials used in 18th century furniture.
The exhibition includes around 100 major works from collections at the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre Museum, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the Palace of Fontainbleau and the Getty Museum, alongside works from private collections which will be on show to the public for the first time.
Cabinets, desks, writing tables, commodes and console tables, but also sofas, armchairs, folding chairs and seating chairs will testify to the revolution that the 18th century brought about in the history of furniture, a reflection of the evolving tastes of a society enamoured by modernity and wanting to live in comfort and luxury.
- See more at: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/news-/events/expositions/18e-aux-sources-du-design-en#sthash.8V24b9MG.dpuf
he exhibition offers a glimpse of the ingenuity of a bygone era viewed from a present-day perspective and showcases the innovative and avant-garde nature of the shapes, techniques, decorations and materials used in 18th century furniture.
The exhibition includes around 100 major works from collections at the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre Museum, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the Palace of Fontainbleau and the Getty Museum, alongside works from private collections which will be on show to the public for the first time.
Cabinets, desks, writing tables, commodes and console tables, but also sofas, armchairs, folding chairs and seating chairs will testify to the revolution that the 18th century brought about in the history of furniture, a reflection of the evolving tastes of a society enamoured by modernity and wanting to live in comfort and luxury.
- See more at: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/news-/events/expositions/18e-aux-sources-du-design-en#sthash.8V24b9MG.dpu
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3 comments:

lara77 said...

In my opinion the most beautiful and amazing furniture ever created; the furniture was art and art was furniture. The top photo of King Louis XVI's roll top desk is amazing. That so much survived all the destruction by the French Revolution is amazing. I would have loved to see this exhibit.

elena maria vidal said...

Me, too. I think the furniture from that epoch was a high point in western civilization.

Unknown said...

I love Madame de Mailly's commode, it's so full of details, my great grandfather had a similar roll-top desk is very pretty, but I've got to revitalize it because is getting very old.