Table
(of tabletop) Unknown Maker; (of base) attributed to Noyes & Hutton
1 of 2
Object Label
Artists inventively created topographical images in a variety of media to celebrate both local and national pride. Here, an assemblage of scenic icons decorates a painted wood tabletop, offering a picturesque tour of major cities and rural vistas in orbit around an image of the national Capitol. The scenes were based on prints published in 1840 in the illustrated volume American Scenery.
Caption
(of tabletop) Unknown Maker; (of base) attributed to Noyes & Hutton (1847–1852). Table, ca. 1840–1855. Cast iron, wood, and painted decoration, 28 3/8 x 28 3/8 x 28 3/8 in. (72.1 x 72.1 x 72.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund, 78.131. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Title
Table
Date
ca. 1840–1855
Geography
Possible place made: Troy, New York, United States
Medium
Cast iron, wood, and painted decoration
Classification
Dimensions
28 3/8 x 28 3/8 x 28 3/8 in. (72.1 x 72.1 x 72.1 cm)
Signatures
no signature
Inscriptions
no inscriptions
Markings
no marks
Credit Line
H. Randolph Lever Fund
Accession Number
78.131
Frequent Art Questions
What's depicted here?
This metal and wood table made in Troy, NY by Noyes & Hutton in the mid-19th century includes iconic scenes and buildings from an illustrated volume called "American Scenery" from 1840.Giving a picturesque tour of major cities and rural vistas of the United States in order to celebrate both local and national pride this table shows Albany, Mount Vernon, Boston and other American cities.May I ask how old this table is?
This table is decorated with imagery from an illustrated volume entitled "American Scenery" that was published in 1840. The table was made shortly thereafter, so it's over one hundred and fifty years old!Can you tell me more about this table?
Of course! This table takes viewers on a tour of major cities and picturesque rural vistas in the United States. Symbolically at center is the Capital Building in Washington. In the early 19th century, landscape views on furniture and objects were a popular way of seeing distant landscapes without leaving one's home. Who has time to travel anyways?The views are derived from engravings based on drawings by William H. Bartlett which illustrate "American Scenery," in a 1840 publication.So it was furniture for a private home?Yes! Do you see the cast iron base? The use of metal furniture for the domestic home was a relatively new and modern idea; previously, the material was reserved for industrial and public spaces. Unfortunately, I don't have the name of the table’s original owner but there is a good chance that they would have lived here in New York.Tell me more.
This table takes the viewer on a tour of major cities and picturesque rural vistas around the United States. The Capitol Building represents Washington, DC at the center. In the early nineteenth century, landscape views were a popular way of seeing distant landscapes without leaving one's home. The American landscape was an expression of patriotism.
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