Bedstead ca. 1805-8 Charles-Honoré Lannuier Following the Revolution, Americans took inspiration from the ancient empires of Greece and Rome in the establishment of a democratic republic. In turn, domestic interiors and furnishings began to resemble architecture and artifacts from classical antiquity. This beds sweeping frame echoes the form of a Roman lectus (daybed) and the bronze plaque at the base bears the profile of a Roman magistrate or military officer. The work is the only signed piece produced by Lannuier, one of New Yorks leading furniture makers, and his Parisian cousin, Cochois, who worked briefly in New York between 1804 and 1808. The reproduction upholstery and hangings are based on models popularized by French designers Pierre de La Mésangère, Charles Percier, and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine. Listen to experts illuminate this artwork's story Listen Play or pause #4538. Bedstead Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track