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American, Boston Massachusetts

Bombé Chest of Drawers, ca. 1755-1795

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

American

Title

Bombé Chest of Drawers

Year

ca. 1755-1795

Medium

Mahogany, white pine and tulipwood, with brass

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • tulipwood,
  • mahogany,
  • white pine

Dimensions

81.3 x 96.5 cm (32 x 38 inches)

Place

Boston; Massachusetts

Type

  • Decorative Arts,
  • Furniture

Credit

Bequest of Mr. Charles L. Pendleton

Object Number

04.079

Projects & Publications

Publications

A Handbook of the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design

American Furniture In Pendleton House

Read Online

The Pendleton Collection

Read Online

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Making It In America

October 11, 2013 - February 9, 2014

The dramatic double-serpentine curvature visible side to side and top to bottom on the front and sides of this chest is known as bombé, taken from the French verb bomber, meaning to bulge. A great feat of woodworking skills, the piece would have been costly to make and rare even in its own time. Adding to the scarcity of this bold form, bombé or kettle chests were unique to eastern Massachusetts, specifically Boston and Salem, affordable to only the wealthiest of clients, namely those who were part of the successful mercantile industry.

Focus on Form

April 1, 1998 - May 21, 2000

18th and 19th-Century American Galleries

Charles Pendleton House

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Bombé Chest of Drawers with the accession number of 04.079. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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