Instruments - European Wall Clocks

From the beginning of the 18th century, French clock making enjoyed a revival. French clocks were always designed firstly as decorative furniture and only secondarily as timepieces.. The French version of the longcase clock looks like a mantle clock standing on a pedestal. French "cartel" clocks were wall clocks in an elaborate frame of highly gilt carved wood or cast bronze. French cartel clock

Dutch Stoelklock In the 17th century, the Dutch had failed to capitalise on the technological lead given to them by Christiaan Huygens, although they had manufactured longcase clocks following the English style. But in the 18th century, the Dutch evolved their own style. Dutch longcase clocks became bulbous in shape and elaborately decorated and surmounted by all kinds of exotic figures - atlas holding the world flanked by trumpeting angels is a typical example. More typically Dutch were a range of weight-driven wall clocks of different designs depending on where they were made. Zaandam clocks (from north of Amsterdam) had cases made of polished wood with a decorative brass or lead gable supported by columns and often surmounted by a figure of Atlas. Stoelkloks, from Friesland, had brightly painted wall brackets with a roof at the top; the weights were suspended on chains rather than the ropes used in Zaandam clocks. Staartkloks, also from Friesland, have the clock mechanism contained in a hood like a longcase clock and the pendulum in a flat case below it with the weights hanging on chains in front of the pendulum case. Dutch Staartklock

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Furniture - European - 19th Century Eclectic (1830 - 1870)

French Renaissance Revival sideboard (1870) The 19th century saw a variety of styles. Concurrently with the Empire style of the early 19th century was the Gothic Revival which was based on the idea that the Greek and Roman forms of the neo-classical furniture were pagan. The Gothic Revival, therefore, replaced the classical decoration with Gothic architectural elements while keeping the same basic forms.

From the 1820s in Europe and the 1840s in America, designers seeking a return to elegance created a Rococo Revival.

 
The 1860s saw a Renaissance Revival with large, straight-lined forms decorated with inlays and low relief carving. In France,  many pieces were also made in imitation of the Louis XIV and Louis XVI styles. The Louis XIV pieces often incorporated boulle marquetry or black lacquer with gilt detail and mother-of-pearl inlay. Some were mass produced using papier mache. The Louis XVI pieces were often in marquetry with imitation Sevres porcelain plaques.

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Furniture - European - Biedermeier (1815 - 1860)

Empire style furniture (and Regency in England) was largely made for the aristocracy. But the period after the Napoleonic period in the Austro-Hungarian Empire saw the rise of the middle classes, culminating in a series of revolutions in 1848. The style of furniture developed for the newly influential middle class became known as "Biedermeier" (originally a derogatory term similar in meaning to the English "plain Jane".).

The style was a simplified form of neo-classical, retaining the symmetry and proportion but with more restrained decoration. Columns and cornices were less used but the lyre motif became common. Much use was made of lighter coloured veneers, such as walnut, maple, birch and ash, in contract with the dark mahogany and rosewood used elsewhere. Inlays of contrasting woods and, later, brass, were often used. Early pieces tend to be simpler and more classical in style; later pieces after about 1840) were more curved and decorated.

 Biedermeier secretaire (Austrian 1820-25)

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Furniture - European - Pre-Victorian (to 1830)

Gothic Furniture (1200 - 1425)

Gothic chair (The English Coronation Throne)The great cathedrals of the Gothic period were expressions of a new affluence but their interiors contained simple functional, oak furniture. Late in the Gothic period, carved decoration echoing the arched shapes of Gothic architecture appeared.

All houses in the Middle Ages were damp and furniture needed to be raised off the ground to prevent rotting. For this reason, chests from the 12th century onward often had legs. 

A few new forms of furniture appeared. these included single and double-tiered cupboards and sideboards with a small storage area on tall legs and a shelf beneath.

By the 15th century, the Low Countries were becoming prosperous through trade and merchants’ homes there became better furnished. "Flanders chests", decorated with a stylised motif representing folded linen, became popular.

 

Renaissance Furniture (1425 - 1580)
The Renaissance in Italy saw the introduction of elaborately decorated chests, rich marquetry, elaborate carving and the use of walnut in place of oak. Florence was famous for marriage chests, painted with romantic scenes, were produced. Portable folding chairs with leather or tapestry seats and chairs with solid, carved backs and solid panels instead of legs were introduced.

During the early Renaissance period, the French courts employed Italian artists who brought Italian furniture designs, but with somewhat richer decoration.

 

 German Renaissance chest

Feather beds and pillows came into use. In the colder, northern countries, beds were surmounted by a canopy hung from the ceiling

In the 15th century, the southern German cities of Ausberg and Nuremburg became famous for the exuberance and virtuosity of their carved and inlaid cabinets. The earliest cabinets were placed on tables; later, they were made with stands.. 

Did you know?

The earliest chests were made by hollowing out tree trunks; and, so, were called  "trunks".

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