The Director

Thomas Chippendale, the son of a carpenter was born in Otley, West Yorkshire, in 1718. He was married whilst living in London and by 1749 he was residing in Conduit Court, a paved passageway on the south side of Long Acre.

As family life developed Thomas found himself moving to a larger house in Somerset Court of the Strand, passing his former home in Conuit Court to his MENTOR and Rococo TEACHER and dare I say best friend Matthias Darley; this must have been so in every meaning of the word for Thomas commissioned 98 of the total 160 signed copper engraved plates in his new design book to Matthias Darley, this move confirms this without doubt.

Thomas Chippendale moved to 60, 61, 62 St. Martin´s Lane in 1754, where he had workshops and a timber yard.

Also in 1754 Chippendale published his masterful collection, "Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director", a compilation of fashionable English furniture design. This work is Chippendale's enduring legacy, and shows his gift in adapting existing design styles to the fashion of the mid 18th century. So pervasive was the influence of the book that the name of Chippendale is often indiscriminately applied to mid-18th century furniture as a whole.

Shown below in full is the preface from "The Director":

PREFACE

Of all the arts which are either improved or ornamented by architecture, that of cabinet making is not only the most useful and ornamental, but capable of receiving as great assistance from it as any whatever. I have therefore prefixed to the following designs a short explanation of the five orders, with out an acquaintance with this science and some knowledge of the rules of perspective, the cabinetmaker cannot make the designs of his work intelligible, nor show, in a little compass, the whole conduct and effect of the piece. These, therefore, ought to be carefully studied by every one who would excel in this branch since they are the very soul and basis of his art.

The title page is already called the following work, THE GENTLEMAN AND CABINET MAKER'S DIRECTOR, as being calculated to assist the one in the choice, and the other in the execution of the designs, which are so contrived, that if no one drawing should singly answer the gentleman's taste, there will yet be found a variety of hints, sufficient to construct a new one.

I have been encouraged to begin and carry on this work not only by persons of distinction, but of eminent taste for performances of this sort, who have, upon many occasions, signified some surprise and regret, that an art capable of so much perfection and refinement, should be executed with so little propriety and elegance. How far the following sheets may remove a complaint, which I am afraid, is not all together groundless, the judicious reader will determine: I hope, however, the novelty, as well as the usefulness of the performance, will make some atonements for its faults and imperfections. I am sensible, that there are too many to be found in it; for I frankly confess, that in executing many of the drawings, my pencil has but faintly copied out those images that my fancy suggested; and had they not been published till I could have pronounced them perfect, perhaps they had never seen the light. Nevertheless, I was not upon that account afraid to let them go abroad, for I have been told, that greatest masters of every art have laboured under the same difficulty.

I am not afraid of the fate an author usually meets with on his first appearance from a set of critics who are never wanting to show their wit and malice on the performance of others: I shall repay their censures with contempt. Let them unmolested deal out their pointless abuse, and convince the world they have neither good nature to commend, judgment to correct, nor skill to execute what they find fault with.

The correction of the judicious and impartial I shall always receive with diffidence in my own abilities, and respect to theirs. But though the following designs were more perfect than my fondness for my own offspring could ever suppose them, I should yet be far from expecting the united approbation of all those whose sentiments have an undoubted claim to be regarded; for a thousand accidental circumstances may concur in dividing the opinions of the most improved judges, and the unprejudiced will find it difficult to disengage himself from a partial affection to some particular beauties, of which the general course of his studies, or the peculiar cast of his temper may have rendered him most sensible. The mind, when pronouncing judgment upon any work of taste and genius, is apt to decide of its merit according as those circumstances, which she most admires, either prevails, or are deficient.

Upon the whole, I have here given no design but what may be executed with advantage by the hands of a skilful workman, though some of the procession have been diligent enough to represent them {especially those after the gothic and Chinese manner} as so many specious drawings, impossible to be worked off by any mechanic whatsoever. I will not scruple to attribute this to malice, ignorance, and inability; and I am confident I can convince all noblemen, gentlemen, or others, who will honour me with their commands, that every design in this book can be improved, both as to beauty and enrichment, in the execution of it, by

THEIR MOST OBEDIENT SERVANT,

ST, MARTIN'S LANE, FEB,27, 1762. THOMAS CHIPPENDALE.