Meubles et Objets de Goût

Art Historical Context

" Meubles et Objets de Goût" is a remarkable collection of hand-colored engravings published between 1802 and 1831 by Pierre de La Mésangère, with contributions from artists such as Coüet. This work served as an influential pattern book documenting the elegant furniture and decorative objects favored during the Napoleonic Empire and the subsequent Restoration period in France. Each plate captures the refined lines, classical motifs, and luxurious details that defined the era’s taste for neoclassical design. As a classified book in the Metropolitan Museum’s Drawings and Prints department, the volume played a key role in disseminating interior design trends across Europe. The engravings, meticulously colored by hand, allowed cabinetmakers, upholsterers, and wealthy patrons to study and replicate the latest styles—from ornate mahogany sideboards to delicate bronze-mounted tables. Its publication over nearly three decades reflects the evolving fashions of the time, bridging the grandeur of Empire style with the emerging tastes of the 1830s. Today, these pages offer visitors a vivid glimpse into how printed media shaped domestic life in the early nineteenth century, preserving both artistic craftsmanship and social aspiration in a single, portable format.

About the Artist

Pierre de La Mésangère|Coüet (French|French) · 1761 | –1831 |

French, Pontigné 1761–1831 Paris|