Rear Elevation of a Sofa
1770â1800
Classification
furniture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-65-75
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 18th American design with *Rear Elevation of a Sofa a captivating artifact from 1770–1800 in the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This drawing presents the back view—or "elevation"—of a sofa, a common drafting technique used by craftsmen and designers to plan furniture construction. Spanning the Revolutionary era, it offers a window into the evolving tastes of early American households, where sofas symbolized comfort and status amid growing colonial prosperity. Though the artist remains unknown and research is ongoing, the piece highlights the precision of period furnit...
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...