I agree with all of this except the part about making things pretty being a waste. Beauty has its own value, although far too often for pieces like this it was more for bragging rights as you said.
Kind of my point, but a set of a dozen chairs like that isn’t so much about creativity as it is cost. Still beautiful imo, although i still prefer more minimalist styles in furniture.
I hear ya. There’s a line somewhere when people become shitty rich. I’m just not sure that line is at … has a nice dining room table with carved feet or some shit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Let me clarify this part of my thinking: That line has moved a lot since the lifetime of Thomas Chippendale.
When you think about what it would take to build an ornately carved mahogany highboy with a high gloss varnish in 1750 versus today, including logging, transporting exotic wood around the planet, the actual woodworking…hell, just compare applying a shellac french polish versus spray lacquer today.
I agree with all of this except the part about making things pretty being a waste. Beauty has its own value, although far too often for pieces like this it was more for bragging rights as you said.
Also plenty of craftsmen make beautiful shit without being rich. Bragging rights is a weird way to say creative effort in that sense.
Kind of my point, but a set of a dozen chairs like that isn’t so much about creativity as it is cost. Still beautiful imo, although i still prefer more minimalist styles in furniture.
Are you yourself a craftsman?
I craft many things, however I only display my wealth with ostentatious hats I obtain from a madman.
Yeah, see: when you’re looking at these highly ornate antiques, it’s not the wealth of the craftsman on display; it’s the wealth of his customer.
Well tickle me with a feather. Not every nice thing is a cynical display.
When it comes to rich people, pretty much yes it is.
I hear ya. There’s a line somewhere when people become shitty rich. I’m just not sure that line is at … has a nice dining room table with carved feet or some shit. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Let me clarify this part of my thinking: That line has moved a lot since the lifetime of Thomas Chippendale.
When you think about what it would take to build an ornately carved mahogany highboy with a high gloss varnish in 1750 versus today, including logging, transporting exotic wood around the planet, the actual woodworking…hell, just compare applying a shellac french polish versus spray lacquer today.
The artist never gets rich, but his efforts still costs more than the basic stuff.
The artist sometimes gets rich.
Gotta do that from time to time so the others can dream on 😁
I have been rendered incapable of seeing beauty in ostentatious displays of wealth.
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