Bureau Table
John Townsend
c. 1770
Medium
Mahogany, chestnut, and tulip poplar
Dimensions
86.6 × 93.4 × 58 cm (34 1/8 × 36 3/4 × 20 in.)
Classification
table
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
103347
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This elegant piece epitomizes the Late Baroque style that flourished in Newport, Rhode Island. It is one of six bureaus that can be attributed to the celebrated cabinetmaker John Townsend on the basis of similar construction and design features in labeled pieces by the maker. For example, the carved shells have central C-scrolls featuring petals and crosshatched baskets, all motifs that are indicative of Townsend’s work. In addition, the top is integrated into the case by cove-and-bead molding, ...