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Étagère

ca. 1855
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 736
At the New York workshop of Alexander Roux, over a hundred highly skilled craftsmen—many of whom were immigrants like Roux himself—designed, carved, and assembled elaborate, high-style furniture such as this étagère. The descriptor étagère is the French word for a multi-shelved piece of furniture, underscoring the appeal French associations held for consumers. By the mid-nineteenth century, middle- and upper-class Americans sought to display decorative objects in their homes to showcase not only the family’s wealth but also their worldliness and sophistication. The étagère was most often placed in the parlor, where guests could admire the carefully chosen selection of ceramics, glass, or silver.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Étagère
  • Maker: Alexander Roux (1813–1886)
  • Date: ca. 1855
  • Geography: Made in New York, New York, United States
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Rosewood, rosewood veneer; chestnut, tulip poplar, bird's-eye maple (secondary woods)
  • Dimensions: 86 x 79 1/2 x 31 3/4 in. (218.4 x 201.9 x 80.6 cm)
  • Credit Line: Sansbury-Mills Fund, 1971
  • Object Number: 1971.219
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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Cabinet, Alexander Roux French, Mahogany, brass, gilt bronze mounts, American
Cabinet
Alexander Roux
ca. 1850–65
Slipper Chair, Alexander Roux French, Maple, brass, American
Slipper Chair
Alexander Roux
ca. 1860
Étagère Shelves, Alexander Roux French, Rosewood, chestnut, poplar, bird's-eye maple, American
Étagère Shelves
Alexander Roux
ca. 1850–57
Sideboard, Alexander Roux French, Black walnut, pine (secondary wood), American
Sideboard
Alexander Roux
ca. 1853
Bench, Alexander Roux French, Beech, American
Bench
Alexander Roux
ca. 1865

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