Three Designs for Wall Sconces in the Chinese Taste, Plate 48 in One Hundred and Fifty New Designs

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of 18th British design with *Three Designs for Wall Sconces in the Chinese Taste Plate 48 from Thomas *One Hundred and Fifty New* (1756–57). English artist and carver Thomas Johnson (1714–1778) created this printed plate as part of a influential pattern book, offering craftsmen intricate templates for wall-mounted light fixtures. Though the medium remains under study, these designs exemplify the decorative arts of the Georgian era, blending functionality with opulent ornamentation. Johnson's work captures the mid-18th-century craze for Chinoiserie—a fanciful European interpretation of Chinese motifs like pagodas, latticework, and exotic flora. Popular among the aristocracy, this style infused Rococo interiors with playful asymmetry and Eastern allure, reflecting Britain's growing trade with Asia via the East India Company. Wall sconces, essential for candlelit evenings, became canvases for such whimsy, elevating everyday objects to status symbols. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum through a generous purchase funded by Agnes Miles Carpenter's gift, this plate highlights how Johnson's publications democratized high-style furniture design, bridging artist studios and workshops. It invites us to imagine candlelight dancing across these fantastical forms, a testament to the era's fusion of cultures and creativity. (198 words)