The Smithsonian Institute Libraries has placed their ten-year collection of Le Garde-meuble, a bi-monthly periodical interior decoration publication from France, online here. The collection covers the early years of the periodical, 1841-1851, and consists of more than 400 images. Clicking on "Explore the Collection" at the top of the homepage takes visitors to a search page that allows them to browse by "Style/Period of Furniture," "Type of Furniture" or "Volume". The type of furniture search feature is divided up into the broad categories of "Floor Plans", "Window Treatments", "Furniture-Casework", and "Furniture-Seating." Clicking on a broad category of furniture, such as "Sofas", under "Furniture-Seating", will allow you to choose a specific type of sofa, like "Chaises Lounges" and "Loveseats," or you can just choose "Show All." Once you've chosen the specific category you would like to see, click on it to see thumbnails, and then click on an individual image to see a beautiful color illustration that is so detailed and exquisite that even the shadows the furniture would cast are present in the drawings. Visitors shouldn't miss the "Beds (furniture)" category, under "Furniture-Casework," to see elaborate beds with canopies and curtains galore. Clicking on "Show All" will lead you to these sleep thrones.
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