‘That celebrated artist, Mr Chippendale, of St Martin’s Lane’: new discoveries and re-evaluations in his tercentenary year

Three hundred years after the birth of Thomas Chippendale, his reputation remains as strong as it was when the above comment was made in The Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser on 28 November 1767.  Our Annual Symposium, to be held in Leeds to coincide with the exhibition at the City Museum, Thomas Chippendale, a Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design, 1718-2018, will offer new discoveries and new interpretations of some of his major commissions, a look at the furniture that his designs inspired in North America, and a review of the influence that his work exerted on subsequent generations of furniture designers and interior decorators. The day will close with an opportunity for a private view of the exhibition. Lisa White will chair the day.

Speakers:

James Lomax, co-curator of the exhibition

Honouring a Local Hero: the Chippendale Society

Dr Adam Bowett, co-curator of the exhibition

Furniture for the Circular Dressing Room at Harewood House

Professor Ann Sumner, University of Leeds, and Harewood House Trust

Decorating Harewood: experiencing the Chippendale firm’s largest commission.

Thomas Lange, Conservator, Ronald Phillips Ltd., London

A Chippendale Discovery at Harewood: the Mystery of the White Drawing Room 

Professor David Jones, independent scholar

The Paxton and Wedderburn Commissions

Dr Kerry Bristol, Leeds University

Furnishing the London townhouse: Thomas Chippendale and the search for a style

Sarah Medlam, Curator Emeritus, Victoria and Albert Museum

‘French Chairs’ and other fashions: Chippendale’s debts to Paris

Brock Jobe, Professor of American Decorative Arts Emeritus,Winterthur Museum

Chippendale’s Influence in America: a New England case study

Dr Megan Aldrich, independent scholar

The Shakespeare of English Furniture: examining the rich mythology surrounding Thomas Chippendale

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Symposium tickets must be purchased in advance and early booking is recommended.

Cost, including morning coffee/tea, the Symposium and attendance/drinks at a private late opening of the exhibition Thomas Chippendale, a Celebration of Craftsmanship and Design, 1718-2018 at the City Museum between 5pm and 7pm following the end of the Symposium:

- £50 for FHS members and Chippendale Society members

- £30 for FHS and Chippendale Society members under-30

- A light lunch will be available for attendees, at an additional cost of £20, to include a glass of wine, at the Leeds Museum, a two-minute walk away.  Tickets for lunch must be purchased at least 15 days in advance.  For those not attending this lunch, there are also plently of local cafes and restaurants.

Tickets for members over-30 have now sold out.  Members under-30 can still purchase tickets via this Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-42nd-annual-symposium-of-the-furniture-history-society-in-partnership-with-the-chippendale-tickets-42671358181

If you would like to go on the waiting list, please contact the Events Secretary on events@furniturehistorysociety.org or 07775 907390.