SAPFM Museum Furniture Collection

Bureau Table

Attributed to John Townsend (American, 1732–1809)

Bureau Table, Attributed to John Townsend (American, 1732–1809), c. 1770, Mahogany, chestnut, and tulip poplar
Maker
Attributed to John Townsend (American, 1732–1809)
Date
c. 1770
Medium
Mahogany, chestnut, and tulip poplar
Dimensions
86.6 × 93.4 × 58 cm (34 1/8 × 36 3/4 × 20 in.)
Form
Table
Origin
Newport
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession
1984.1387
Credit line
Gift of Jamee J. and Marshall Field
This elegant piece epitomizes the Late Baroque style that flourished in Newport, Rhode Island. It is one of six bureaus attributed to John Townsend on the basis of similar construction and design features in labeled pieces by the maker. Bureau tables most likely functioned as dressing tables and were particularly popular among the Quaker citizens of Newport, who appreciated their wide array of storage possibilities.
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