CHARTS SHOWING HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF FURNITURE
LOUIS XIV, 1643 to {Compressed regularity {Straight, square,
1715 { giving way in { grooved and very
Key-note { reaction to a { squat cabriole
The Grand { ponderous ugliness. { legs.
Audience Rooms { {
THE REGENCY AND {The Reign of Woman. {Cabriole legs of a
LOUIS XV, 1715 to { { perfect lightness
1774 { { and grace.
Key-note { {
The Boudoir { {
{The transition style {Legs tapering
{ between the Bourbon { straight, rounded
{ Interior Decoration { and grooved. A
{ and that of { few square-grooved
{ the "Directorate" { legs and
LOUIS XVI, 1774 to { and "Empire," { a few graceful,
1793 { characterised by a { slender cabriole
Key-note { return to the classic { legs.
The Salon _Intime_ { line which reflects {
{ a more serious turn {
{ of mind on part of {
{ the Nation in an age {
{ of great mental {
{ activity. {
{Classic lines.
{Classic decorations with subjects taken from
{ Greek mythologies.
{Winged figures, emblems of liberty; antique
{ heads of helmeted warriors, made like
{ medallions, wreaths, lyres, torches,
{ rosettes, etc.
{Besides the wonderful mounts of Ormoulu,
{ designed by the great sculptors and painters
{ of the period, there was a great deal
{ of fine brass inlaying.
{Antique vases taken from ancient tombs were
THE FIRST EMPIRE, { placed in recesses in the walls of rooms
NAPOLEON I, 1804 { after the style of the ancient "Columbaria."
to 1814 {Every effort was made to surround Napoleon I
{ with the dignity and austere sumptuousness
{ of a great Roman Emperor. As we have said,
{ he had been in Rome and he had been in Egypt;
{ the art of the French Empire was reminiscent
{ of both. Napoleon would outstrip the other
{ conquerors of the world.
{Some Empire furniture shows the same fine
{ turning which characterizes Jacobean furniture
{ of both oak and walnut periods. We refer to
{ the round, not spiral, turning. See legs of
{ Empire sofa on which Madame Récamier reclines
{ in the well-known portrait by David (Louvre).
ENGLISH FURNITURE
{Gothic, through 14th Century.
THE OAK PERIOD {Renaissance, 16th Century.
(including early {Elizabethan, 16th Century.
Jacobean) {Jacobean or Stuart, 17th Century; James I,
{ Charles I and II, and James II, 1603-1688.
{Late Jacobean.
THE WALNUT PERIOD {William and Mary, 1688.
{Queen Anne, 1702.
"MAHOGANY" PERIOD {Chippendale. {18th Century.
(and other imported {HEPPELWHITE. {
woods), or {SHERATON {
CHIPPENDALE PERIOD. {THE ADAM BROTHERS. {
{Almost no furniture exists of the 13th
{ Century. We get the majority of our
GOTHIC PERIOD, { ideas from illustrated manuscripts of
Through 14th Century. { that time. The furniture was carved
{ oak or plain oak ornamented with
{ iron scroll work, intended both for
{ strength and decoration.
RENAISSANCE OR {The characteristic, heavy, wide mouldings
ELIZABETHAN, { and small panels, and heavy round
16th Century. { carving.
{Panels large and mouldings very narrow and
{ flat, or no mouldings at all, and flat
{ carving. The classic influence shown during
JACOBEAN OR { the period of the Commonwealth in designs,
STUART PERIOD, { pilastars and pediments was the result of a
17th Century. { classic reaction, all elaboration being
{ resented.
WALNUT PERIOD, {The Restoration brought in elaborate
late 17th Century. { carving. Dutch influence is exemplified
{ in the fashion for inlaying imported from
{ Holland, as well as the tulip design.
{ Turned legs, stretchers, borders and spiral
{ turnings, characterized Jacobean style.
In the GOTHIC PERIOD (extending {
through 14th Century), as {
the delightful irregularity in {
line and decoration shows, {Tables, chests, presses (wardrobes),
there was NO SET TYPE; each { chairs and benches or
piece was an individual creation { settles.
and showed the personality {
of maker. {
During RENAISSANCE OR ELIZABETHAN {
PERIOD (16th Century) {Table chests, presses, chairs,
types begin to establish { benches, settles, and small
and repeat themselves. { chests of drawers.
{Inlaying in ebony, ivory,
{ mother-of-pearl, and ebonised
{ oblong bosses of the jewel type
{ (last half of 17th Century).
In the JACOBEAN (17th Century) { The tulip design introduced
there was already a set type, { from Holland as decoration.
pieces made all alike, turned {Turned and carved frames and
out by the hundreds. { stretchers; caned seats and
{ backs to chairs, velvet cushions,
{ velvet satin damask and
{ needlework upholstery, the
{ seats stuffed.
Henry VIII made England _Protestant_, it having been Roman
Catholic for several hundred years before the coming of the Anglo-Saxons
and for a thousand years after.
{QUEEN ELIZABETH.
PROTESTANT. {
{"The Elizabethan Period."
STUART. {JAMES I. 1603.
ROMAN CATHOLIC. {
"JACOBEAN." {CHARLES I. (Puritan Revolution), 1628.
{Oliver Cromwell. 1649.
PURITAN. {
{Commonwealth.
STUART. {Charles II. (1660), Restoration.
ROMAN CATHOLIC. {
"JACOBEAN." {James II. (1686), Deposition and Flight.
{William--Prince of Orange (Holland), 1688.
PROTESTANT. { Who had married the English Princess
{ Mary and was the only available _Protestant_
{ (1688).
PROTESTANT. --Queen Anne (1702-1714).