Crafts of Comfort and Style: Upholstery and Furniture Design in the 1760s

About this sheet

The collage of original antique engravings a compilation of three prints from the "Encyclopédie" by Diderot and d'Alembert. Each print showcases various furnishings and decorative elements relating to beds and upholstery from the 18th century. The collection presents a visual guide to the design and craftsmanship of the period.

In the first print, we see two types of beds with canopies, known as "Lit à colonnes" and "Lit à la Duchesse," accompanied by different fabric patterns that might be used for the bed drapery or other upholstery within a room.

The second print continues with illustrations of beds, including "Lit à double tombeau" and "Lit à tombeau simple," a camp bed or "Lit de camp à l'Angloise," as well as a folding screen ("Paravent"), a fire screen ("Ecran"), and a type of swing door ("Porte-Batante").

The third print features a more elaborate "Lit à la Polonaise," which is characterized by its high, domed canopy, and a "Lit en alcôve," a bed designed to be set into a recess of a room. Additionally, there's an illustration of a vase and a footstool or low seat ("Tabouret"), indicating the comprehensive nature of the "Encyclopédie" in covering various aspects of interior decor.

Collectively, these prints offer insight into the art and fashion of interior design during the Enlightenment, emphasizing both the functional and aesthetic aspects of furniture-making. The detailed coloring and careful depiction suggest that these items were not just everyday objects but also signifiers of style and status.

These prints were taken from the "Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers," an influential work edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert in the 18th century. This extensive work aimed to compile and disseminate all the world's knowledge, and it played a significant role in the spread of Enlightenment ideas across Europe. The detailed illustrations provided visual representations of various topics, including technology, science, and the arts, such as the furniture designs depicted in these prints.