Antique furniture styles
29-Jan-2009
Antique Furniture Styles
Until the mid-17th century, furniture was heavy and architectural in style. Made out of the solid and usually of oak, it was often enriched with simple turned decoration, occasionally embellished with primitive, classically inspired foliage and acanthus carved in relief. During the late 17th century the art of turning became increasingly refined and sophisticated with the introduction of lighter and tighter forms, but these were gradually superseded by the Baroque style. Characterized by its sculptural designs and exuberant wealth of carved ornament, the Baroque to a large extent pre-empted the lighter, freer spirit of the Rococo or pittoresque movement, which gained momentum from c.1730. During the Rococo period, curves became increasingly exaggerated, and were enriched with foliage and even Gothic and chinoiserie ornament. The excesses of the Rococo were abruptly halted by the Neo-classical movement, which originated in France in the 1750s. Linearity and restraint, inspired by the Classical architecture of ancient Greece and Rome, prevailed until the early 19th century, and was reflected in deliberately Classical ornament featuring urns and paterae, fluting, Greek-key designs, anthemions and acanthus, and even griffins and palmettes. The early 19th century extended the parameters of Neo-classical taste to embrace not only pure Grecian architecture, but also that of ancient Egypt, with motifs such as sphinxes and crocodiles. Inevitably, the 1820s and 1830s saw a reaction of Neo-classicism. This took the form of antiquarianism, which was inspired by 17th century designs and was fashionable in the 1820s, and also Gothic Revivalism, which reflected contemporary interest in the medieval period. The mid-19th century saw the introduction of exuberant Rococo Revival designs, while late 19th-century, furniture was influenced by yet another revival, with Neo-classical styles once again in fashion.