Card table

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of early 19th-century American social life with this exquisite card table crafted by Charles-Hé Lannuier in1817. A French-born cabinetmaker who emigrated to the United States, Lannuier sophisticated Neoclassical flair to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., where he catered to the elite. Made during the post-War of 1812 era President James Madison, this piece reflects America's growing taste for luxury furnishings inspired by French Empire style, blending functionality with grandeur for hosting card games—a popular pastime among the fashionable set. The table's construction showcases masterful techniques: mahogany veneer over white pine and yellow poplar provides a rich, exotic surface, while gilded gesso, vert antique (a faux green marble finish), and gilded brass accents add opulent detailing. Measuring 31 1/8 x 36 x 17 3/4 inches, its compact, foldable design allowed it to double as a center table, embodying the era's practical elegance. These materials and methods highlight Lannuier's skill in achieving a high-end, imported look at accessible American prices. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing as a gift from Justine V.R. Milliken in 1995, this card table captures the cultural fusion of European craftsmanship and burgeoning American identity, inviting us to imagine lively evenings of whist or loo in Federal-era parlors.