Hepplewhite, George (?-1786), was an English furniture maker and designer. No known examples of his furniture exist. Hepplewhite’s reputation rests mainly on his book of furniture designs, The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide (published in 1788, after his death). It has engravings of nearly 300 designs that Hepplewhite and others made popular between about 1770 and 1790. Furniture based on these designs is called Hepplewhite.
Hepplewhite furniture has graceful contours and features delicate ornamentation with painted moldings (wooden strips) and inlays of contrasting woods. Hepplewhite chairs have backs shaped like hearts, ovals, or shields and straight tapered legs.
Little is known about Hepplewhite’s life. After 1760, he owned a workshop in London.
