Online Lecture | The Upholsterers’ Challenge: From Dumfries House to Harewood House with Annabel Westman

This lecture will concentrate on the restoration of two of Thomas Chippendale’s beds that ‘bookend’ his illustrious career as one of the leading cabinet-makers and upholsterers in 18^th century England: the Dumfries bed (1759) and the Harewood state bed (1773). These two examples have survived without their original hangings.

In the eighteenth century, grand beds were still the single most expensive object in the household. This lecture will consider their designs and development from playful rococo to the more formal neo-classical style, with reference to the third edition of Chippendale’s influential volume, The Gentleman and Cabinet-maker’s Director  (1762). The discussion will also include archaeological evidence from the bed frames, and analysis of the bills which informed the upholstery approach in the creation of the new hangings.  

The two beds will be compared with other important examples created during the same period by different makers. These include the Petworth state bed (1759), Kedleston state bed (1768) and Osterley state bed (1775) - on which the speaker has worked - to demonstrate that the upholsterers’ task could be a challenging one when faced with an artistic design. 

This event is presented online only using a digital webinar platform. A link and instructions on joining the event will be sent to ticketholders prior to the event.

PLEASE NOTE: This event will be presented live at the scheduled time AEST. Unfortunately, there will not be a recording available for post-event viewing.

This program is generously supported by The Sir Wilfred and C H (Roger) Brookes Charitable Trust.

Image: A Design for a State Bed in Chippendale Drawings, Vol. 1. Credit:  Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1920.