An Introduction to home furnishing history and how styles evolved.
Furniture is as old as humans themselves, ranging from the stone chairs and beds of the ancients to the chic modern of today, incorporating metal, wood and plastic into the design for leisure and comfort.
The history of furniture may be divided into two classes.
The GOTHIC and the RENAISSANCE.
Furniture is as old as humans themselves, ranging from the stone chairs and beds of the ancients to the chic modern of today, incorporating metal, wood and plastic into the design for leisure and comfort.
The history of furniture may be divided into two classes.
The GOTHIC and the RENAISSANCE.
The Gothic appeared far earlier than the Renaissance.
It began in Christian Europe sometime around 800 to 1200 AD.
The Gothic style has a primitive greatness with a mixture of the mighty Roman and the more barbaric Teutons in its design.
One must be reminded, however, that the deep need of the people of that age was religious expression, and the underlying impulse of that time was to develop what they could in the way of art as a means of expressing their feelings with the means they had at hand. The only stable influence of the times was the church and therefore the chief artistic expressions of beauty were related to the church. So today, in the great columns and arches of the ancient cathedrals, one can see the highest expression of Gothic art.
Many of these tremendous and impressive monuments are still in excellent condition and may be seen throughout Europe.
One of the most impressive for pure Gothic architectural splendour is the Salisbury Cathedral in England.
Even an experienced builder will wonder how the steeple, which rises to 400 feet above the ground, has stood for hundreds of years without a bolt, nail or screw in it.
Other cathedrals were built over a period of many years, and the work was continued through several generations. The span of time was so great that the structures represent the art forms which evolved through several periods of history.
Sometime in the 19th Century the Gothic style of old had a revival which greatly affected the design of a latter period of furniture.
Gothic furniture was large and was designed by architects rather than cabinet makers and each piece was considered a separate creation.
It is said that Gothic art originated in the castles of the feudal barons and a need to protect their wealth became a thing of intense personal interest due to the semi-continuous warfare. Also to move quickly from castle to castle was very important. The problem of transporting bedding, clothing and valuables was an important one. This was solved to some extent with the early development of coffers and chests which could be put together and used as beds and seats by the owners.
Gothic style can be attributed to the Saracens, the French, the Scandinavians, the Teutons and the English. Neither Italy nor Spain can claim a true Gothic style. In Italy, the Gothic style was merely a mixture of the Saracen with Byzantine imposed on the prevailing Italian style.
The term “Renaissance” refers to the beginning of modern times which started with a re-birth of interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture. The movement began in Italy attaining its major momentum in the 15th Century, spreading into Spain and France during the 16th Century. It spread slowly to England in the course of the next one hundred years, imposing its new influence on the well-entrenched Gothic art of the time. The same is true of the northern European countries, and by the middle of the 17th Century the deluxe furniture everywhere reflected the Italian classic form. Traces of Gothic style remained in furniture of lesser importance for another century.
While the early Renaissance Italian furniture was simple in form, profile and detail, it developed into more elaborate form. The ornamentation then consisted of the classic acanthus design, animal forms and rich ornamentation. This more elaborate form was the first to reach other countries, so that the earliest Renaissance specimens to reach France, Spain and England are quite elaborate. There had never been a true Gothic feeling in Italy and their own classic style was to remain more pure in form than in the northern countries.
Thus the furniture of the 17th Century saw the appearance of Roman and Greek classic details in the forms of pillars, colonnades, pediments and so forth. So that cabinets and furniture of that type were really scaled-down architectural compositions.
In the Renaissance, we find the first important use of upholstery.
This is a departure from the severe and uncomfortable Gothic furniture.
The classic art and carving of the Italian Renaissance period influenced the design of furniture in the entire western world.
A notable contributor in furniture comfort was Holland which began to build low backed furniture with the arms connected solidly and these were stuffed and padded with the whole piece being covered with rich velvets or tapestry and thus was born the club chair of today that we find in dignified buildings around the country. This could be in an old bank, country club, old library or hotel lobby. In these places you will see the exquisite example of dignified and huge conference tables with high backed chairs upholstered on the backs and seats, with carved and ornamented legs and feet, rich with heavy fabrics such as were used by the craftsmen of earlier times.
It began in Christian Europe sometime around 800 to 1200 AD.
The Gothic style has a primitive greatness with a mixture of the mighty Roman and the more barbaric Teutons in its design.
One must be reminded, however, that the deep need of the people of that age was religious expression, and the underlying impulse of that time was to develop what they could in the way of art as a means of expressing their feelings with the means they had at hand. The only stable influence of the times was the church and therefore the chief artistic expressions of beauty were related to the church. So today, in the great columns and arches of the ancient cathedrals, one can see the highest expression of Gothic art.
Many of these tremendous and impressive monuments are still in excellent condition and may be seen throughout Europe.
One of the most impressive for pure Gothic architectural splendour is the Salisbury Cathedral in England.
Even an experienced builder will wonder how the steeple, which rises to 400 feet above the ground, has stood for hundreds of years without a bolt, nail or screw in it.
Other cathedrals were built over a period of many years, and the work was continued through several generations. The span of time was so great that the structures represent the art forms which evolved through several periods of history.
Sometime in the 19th Century the Gothic style of old had a revival which greatly affected the design of a latter period of furniture.
Gothic furniture was large and was designed by architects rather than cabinet makers and each piece was considered a separate creation.
It is said that Gothic art originated in the castles of the feudal barons and a need to protect their wealth became a thing of intense personal interest due to the semi-continuous warfare. Also to move quickly from castle to castle was very important. The problem of transporting bedding, clothing and valuables was an important one. This was solved to some extent with the early development of coffers and chests which could be put together and used as beds and seats by the owners.
Gothic style can be attributed to the Saracens, the French, the Scandinavians, the Teutons and the English. Neither Italy nor Spain can claim a true Gothic style. In Italy, the Gothic style was merely a mixture of the Saracen with Byzantine imposed on the prevailing Italian style.
The term “Renaissance” refers to the beginning of modern times which started with a re-birth of interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture. The movement began in Italy attaining its major momentum in the 15th Century, spreading into Spain and France during the 16th Century. It spread slowly to England in the course of the next one hundred years, imposing its new influence on the well-entrenched Gothic art of the time. The same is true of the northern European countries, and by the middle of the 17th Century the deluxe furniture everywhere reflected the Italian classic form. Traces of Gothic style remained in furniture of lesser importance for another century.
While the early Renaissance Italian furniture was simple in form, profile and detail, it developed into more elaborate form. The ornamentation then consisted of the classic acanthus design, animal forms and rich ornamentation. This more elaborate form was the first to reach other countries, so that the earliest Renaissance specimens to reach France, Spain and England are quite elaborate. There had never been a true Gothic feeling in Italy and their own classic style was to remain more pure in form than in the northern countries.
Thus the furniture of the 17th Century saw the appearance of Roman and Greek classic details in the forms of pillars, colonnades, pediments and so forth. So that cabinets and furniture of that type were really scaled-down architectural compositions.
In the Renaissance, we find the first important use of upholstery.
This is a departure from the severe and uncomfortable Gothic furniture.
The classic art and carving of the Italian Renaissance period influenced the design of furniture in the entire western world.
A notable contributor in furniture comfort was Holland which began to build low backed furniture with the arms connected solidly and these were stuffed and padded with the whole piece being covered with rich velvets or tapestry and thus was born the club chair of today that we find in dignified buildings around the country. This could be in an old bank, country club, old library or hotel lobby. In these places you will see the exquisite example of dignified and huge conference tables with high backed chairs upholstered on the backs and seats, with carved and ornamented legs and feet, rich with heavy fabrics such as were used by the craftsmen of earlier times.
