Table
c. 1880
Medium
Rosewood, rosewood veneer, and walnut paint-grained rosewood (secondary woods: ash, bird's eye maple, and walnut), with brass, copper, shell, ebony, and mother-of-pearl inlay, and gilt-brass feet
Dimensions
70.8 × 93 × 49.9 cm (27 7/8 × 36 5/8 × 19 5/8 in.)
Classification
furniture
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
243064
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Lightweight and portable, this table could be moved from room to room as needed to hold and display household goods. Yet it could also stand alone as an object to be admired, attesting to the celebration of functional items as art objects that flourished during the Aesthetic Movement of the late 19th century. Its luxurious materials, including rosewood, ebony, and mother-of-pearl, enhance the dynamic hexagonal design with its asymmetrical inlay of iridescent insects crawling across the surface.