Music Stand

Designed to hold sheets of music at an angle, the rectangular music rest can be raised or lowered for a standing or seated musician. The extending arms hold candles to illuminate the sheet music for evening concerts or dances. Around the third decade of the 1700s, French designers and cabinetmakers developed new, highly specific forms of furniture to meet the needs of their patrons. Stands such as this one furnished salons, music rooms, or smaller cabinets where guests gathered for conversation or entertainment.