Sketches of Furniture

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

**Sketches of Furniture** by Arnold William Brunner captures the creative spark of an emerging American designer in 1883. Born in 1857, Brunner was a prominent architect whose early career bridged the Gilded Age's opulent tastes and the rising Aesthetic Movement. At just 26, he produced these sketches—likely preparatory drawings for custom furniture—reflecting the era's fascination with ornate, functional home furnishings amid rapid industrialization and urban growth. Classified within the Smithsonian American Art Museum's furniture collection, they offer a window into the design process that shaped America's decorative arts. Though the medium remains unidentified amid ongoing research, such sketches were vital tools for architects like Brunner, who later championed Beaux-Arts grandeur in public buildings. These works highlight his meticulous attention to form and proportion, blending practicality with artistic flourish. Donated by his widow, Mrs. Arnold W. Brunner, they carry personal resonance, preserving a slice of his formative years. Visitors will appreciate how these humble sketches underscore the interplay between architecture and everyday objects, reminding us that great design often begins on paper. A testament to American ingenuity, they invite us to ponder the unseen labor behind the furniture that filled 19th-century homes.