INTRODUCTION TO THOMAS CHIPPENDALE

Deyan Sudjic states in his book The Language of Things that Veblen’s "conspicuous consumption" has become each time more relevant. Objects were designed to be consumed and in some way they portrayed the wealth, the luxury and the class of a determined family. Objects not only needed to be understood as beautiful, they carried a meaning and looking expensive was not enough. This applies to Thomas Chippendale´s work. When commissioned to design the furniture of the Dumfries family he intended to demonstrate the wealth, the pedigree and the power. Described as "not very exotic in his sources of inspiration" this cabinet maker and furniture designer was the most prominent of his time. His work was the starting point of a tendency for those who wanted to reflect their accomplishments and prestige in the furniture they used. In his works he was able to combine luxury with creativity and that´s why he was considered the most important furniture maker of his time. Chippendale was able to understand the artistic tendencies of his time and reflect them on his work. In this presentation I will shortly present the life of Chippendale, then I will deal with his influence and style, I will present some of his designs and finally I will draw up a general conclusion.