Fall-Front Desk
c. 1810
Medium
Various woods and gilt-bronze mounts
Dimensions
141 × 91.4 × 39.4 cm (55 1/2 × 36 × 15 in.)
Classification
furniture
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
50330
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The inventive lyre shape of this secretary, surmounted by three stepped drawers and supported by griffins, identifies it as an elaborate, complex case form made in Vienna during the Napoleonic era. The upper half of the front falls forward to serve as a writing surface revealing interior compartments, drawers, and shelves. The secretary shares characteristics with the Empire style developed in France, a bolder and more severe expression of the Neoclassical interest in ancient Greek and Roman art...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...