Metropolitan Museum of Art presents 18th–Century Mechanical Furniture by Abraham and David Roentgen in an exhibition on view trough January 27, 2013.
Extravagant Inventions: The Princely Furniture of the Roentgens, is the first comprehensive survey of the Roentgen family’s cabinetmaking firm from 1742 to its closing in the early 1800s. Some 60 pieces of exquisite furniture, many of which have never before been lent outside Europe, and several clocks are complemented by paintings, including portraits of the Roentgen family, and prints that depict the masterpieces of furniture in contemporary interiors. It is the first exhibition in America devoted to the creative ability of the Roentgens to exploit the natural characteristics of a variety of woods and other precious materials, transforming them into furniture of compelling artistic and historic significance.
The meteoric rise of the workshop of Abraham Roentgen (1711-93) and his son David (1743-1807) is the most spectacular chapter in the history of innovative 18th–century Continental furniture-making. Their original designs, combined with their use of intriguing mechanical devices, revolutionized traditional French and English furniture types. The resulting objects are magnificent and ingenious. At the turn of a key, many of them literally unfold to reveal hidden compartments, secret drawers, and mechanical and musical devices. The hallmark Roentgen style is characterized by grandeur, inventiveness, and meticulously detailed shapes. From its base in Germany, the workshop served an international clientele and the Roentgens utilized a sophisticated business model, which included intensive research on potential patrons’ personal tastes and forward-looking marketing and production techniques. “Neuwied Furniture,” as it was known, was sought after by rulers throughout Europe, from King Frederick William II of Prussia and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette of France to Empress Catherine the Great of Russia.
The exhibition and its related programs will be featured on the Museum’s website at www.metmuseum.org
