In the second half of the 19th century, the typical interior of the house of a Nizhny Tagil craftsman changed significantly. While earlier the houses had features typical of rural life, by the end of the century, more urban elements began to appear in the interiors. As a result, sleeping and sitting benches disappeared almost completely, while urban furniture such as this corner table became popular.
Corner tables were sold at stores and could also be made to order in workshops. Various kinds of furniture were also manufactured by factory employees. This served as an additional source of income for them. Wooden corner tables were typically covered with knitted tablecloths and napkins. According to their shape, corner tables were designed to be placed in a corner of the room. Often, they could be found in the traditional “red corner” where icons were placed.
The corner table is an example of how the technologies of tray manufacturing crossed into other industries, such as furniture making. Sometimes, pieces of furniture were decorated with painting. The scenes were framed by red and black lines and a border of an ornamental pattern. The combination of a painted image and a decorative pattern was captivating.
The table displayed at the Museum of Tray Painting History is an example of elegant metal furniture that would not seem out of place even in the interior of an aristocratic house. Its design reflects the influence of the classical style of the early stage of Nizhny Tagil lacquer painting school. In the center, the tabletop is decorated with a stencil pattern. The floral design is one of the most common classical stencil compositions of the late 19th century.
Along the edges of the table, there was also an openwork border of sheet iron with a neatly curved edge. The table is an example of a metalworker’s craftsmanship. All its parts, including the tabletop, legs, and openwork border, were made separately and then assembled to form a single product. Despite being made entirely of metal, the corner table looks quite light due to its design features.
