Art Blog

John Townsend: Newport Cabinetmaker

MET: May 6, 2005–September 25, 2005

Fall-Front Desk, 1765. John Townsend (American, 1733–1809). Bequest of Mr. Stanley Paul Sax, Diplomatic Reception Rooms, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. (L76.63)

During the second half of the eighteenth century, the New England seaport of Newport, Rhode Island, became a leading center of American furniture making, with members of the Townsend and Goddard families dominating the trade. Preeminent among these stellar cabinetmakers was John Townsend (1733–1809), whose meticulous craftsmanship and elegant designs set a standard that was seldom matched. The Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrates his pivotal role in the history of American furniture with "John Townsend: Newport Cabinetmaker." ...

http://www.metmuseum.org