American Furniture of the 19th Century

A chronological survey of furniture produced for household use in the United States in a period of extraordinary growth, diversity, and change. Sessions examine examples of work by the most significant artisans, designers, and manufacturers; the major styles, from American Empire and the Aesthetic movement to American Renaissance and Arts and Crafts; technological and industrial developments and responses to them; the changing relationship of American furniture to that produced in Europe and elsewhere; regional vernaculars, variations, and alternatives; key texts; and the impact of shifting cultural values and patterns of domestic life. Visits to local collections and institutions are arranged. 3 credits.