Art Institute of Chicago

Bureau Table

Attributed to John Townsend (American, 1732–1809)

Date

c. 1770

Medium

Mahogany, chestnut, and tulip poplar

Culture

Newport

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This elegant piece epitomizes the Late Baroque style that flourished in Newport, Rhode Island. It is one of six bureaus that can be attributed to the celebrated cabinetmaker John Townsend on the basis of similar construction and design features in labeled pieces by the maker. For example, the carved shells have central C-scrolls featuring petals and crosshatched baskets, all motifs that are indicative of Townsend’s work. In addition, the top is integrated into the case by cove-and-bead molding, with smaller cavetto molding underneath. The blocking of the upper drawer continues through the side drawers and into the graceful double scroll of the bracket feet, creating an unbroken visual plane that unifies the design elements. Kept in bedchambers, bureau tables most likely functioned as dressing tables. They were particularly popular among the Quaker citizens of Newport, who appreciated the wide array of storage possibilities they offered. According to oral tradition, Samuel Fowler originally owned this bureau. A successful merchant, Fowler frequently conducted business with the Townsend family. In 1786 and 1787, John Townsend purchased hinges, nails, and sundries from Fowler. This relationship bolsters the argument that Fowler owned this bureau, since patronage loyalty resulting from familial, religious, and trading ties was typical in eighteenth-century Newport.

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