{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O842620"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O842620/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HR6691/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HR6691/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HR6691","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020ML1959","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O842620/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O842620","accessionNumber":"D.700-1906","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"A design for a rococo desk and bookcase which appeared as plate no.112 in The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director (1762 ed.), Thomas Chippendale","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This design for a desk and bookcase by Thomas Chippendale appeared as plate no.112 in the 1762 edition of <i>The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director</i>. This plate was engraved by Matthias Darly (b.ca.1720 –d.1781), who engraved many of the designs for the <i>Director.</i> His signature can be seen on both the plate and this original design. The rocaille (frilly, natural and curved) ornamentation on this design demonstrates the rococo style which became popular from around 1730 in Britain. This design displays the way in which Chippendale was providing detailed guidelines for the construction of furnishings. In the plate description, Chippendale describes that <i>‘The upper Doors are intended for Glass: Within the Doors, in the under Part, may be upright Partitions for Books. The middle Part is a Recess for the Knees, and may have Drawers for Papers.’ </i>Furnishings such as this could have been used within the library or within the private drawing rooms of the household where matters of business were conducted. Elaborately decorated desks and bookcases however were often placed within the state rooms of the household such as drawing rooms.\n\nThomas Chippendale was a fashionable designer and cabinet-maker in the eighteenth-century, providing furniture to such famous contemporary figures as David Garrick. His company produced high-quality furniture, including some key masterpieces, but Chippendale's outstanding skill was in design. His pattern-book<i> The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director </i>went through three editions in the 1750s and 60s and inspired trade catalogues and pattern-books from fellow designers. Usually produced by architects, a large, elegant pattern-book was an ambitious project for a craftsman at this time.<i> The Director </i>showed the full range of furniture available in the eighteenth century, and the range of styles that were fashionable. Chippendale created a trademark fusion of rococo style with Chinese and gothic elements, which was the basis of 'English' rococo. His style influenced furniture design in contemporary Europe and colonial America, and had a marked Victorian revival in England.<i> The Director </i>designs were the main source for Chippendale's high reputation until his furniture was first identified in 1906.","physicalDescription":"A design for a desk and bookcase in rococo style. The desk has a cupboard to the side, two drawers to centre, and a drop front with ornamental loop handles and escutcheons. The bookcase has three doors, with an ornate mirror cartouche and moulding above the central door. To the right of this, is an outline drawing of the interior of the desk with cupboards, drawers and pigeon holes. To the far right edge of the paper are drawings of edge mouldings, probably for mouldings to the top of the bookcase and the desk legs.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thomas Chippendale Senior","id":"A8241"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pen and ink and watercolour","id":"x32505"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"hand drawn","id":"x34232"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink and wash on paper","categories":[{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[{"text":"Rococo","id":"AAT21155"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HR6691","2020ML1959"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"W","shelf":"9","box":"A(i)"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x36513"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1752-1762","earliest":"1747-01-01","latest":"1762-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"338","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"220","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Desk and Bookcase","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Title in black ink to top centre of design"},{"content":"T. Chippendale invent. et delin","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"Designed and drawn by T. Chippendale","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Signature in black ink to bottom left corner of design."},{"content":"112","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Plate number in top right corner"},{"content":"F In / 4\"4","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Measurements in pen on drop-front of desk."},{"content":"Darly Sculpt","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"Engraved by Darly","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Engraver's signature in black ink to bottom right corner."},{"content":"A","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Label in black ink on middle door of desk interior"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"This design appeared as Plate 112 in the 3rd edition of Chippendale's pattern-book <i> The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director</i>. The inscription shows that it was one of the 98 plates engraved for the edition by Matthias Darly.","briefDescription":"A design for a rococo desk and bookcase, engraved and published in the <i>Director</i> (1762 ed.), pen and ink and wash on paper, ca.1752-1762, Thomas Chippendale","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director, 1762, pl.112"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Darly, Matthias","id":"N10251"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"desks and bookcases","id":"AAT39347"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["D.700-1906"],"accessionNumberNum":"700","accessionNumberPrefix":"D","accessionYear":1906,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-29","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}