France French Baroque (Louis XIV) through Regency, Rococo (Louis XV) , and Neoclassical Period (Louis XVI)

French Baroque

- formal, grand, and symmetrical

- associated with Versailles and the Louvre

- large-scale furniture and architecture

- heavy ornamentation and dramatic design

Key Characteristics of Baroque

- monumental scale

- symmetry

- rich materials

- formal court culture

French Regency (Transitional Period)

- occurred after Louis XIV

- led by Duc d'Orleans

- a transition between Baroque and Rococo

- reaction against the heavy formality of the Baroque

- furniture becomes lighter and more comfy

Rococo (Louis XV) -1730-1760

(The first modern style)

- curved lines

- asymmetry

- smaller furniture scale

- playful, light decoration

- pastel colors

- nature-inspired motifs

- feminine influence on design (Madame de Pompadour)

Important Influences of French Rococo

- wealthy bourgeoisie decorating private homes

- Madame de Pompadour influencing taste

- interest in Oriental Design (Chinoiserie)

Neoclassical (Louis XVI)

- reaction against Rococo excess

- inspired by ancient Greece and Rome

- influenced by excavations at Pompeii

Key Characteristics of Neoclassical

- straight lines

- symmetry

- classical columns

- less ornamentation

- simpler forms

Important Furniture Features of Rococo

- cabriole leg: curved S-shaped leg

- stretchers: used earlier but disappeared in later Rococo

- boiserie: carved decorative wooden wall panels

- bombe/serpentine shapes: bulging curved surfaces used in chests and commodes

Fauteuil Chair

- open armchair

- carved wood

- upholstered seat and back

Bergere Chair

- fully upholstered armchair

- enclosed side arms

Voyeuse Chair

- made for gossiping

- high or hooded back

- low arms and decorative carving

Marquise Chair

- designed for women wearing wide skirts

- low arms and decorative carving

Canape Chair

- early form of a sofa or settee

Chaise Longue

- long reclining chair

Duchesse Brisee

- broken chaise longue

- made of 2 or more pieces

Wing Chair

- keep warm

- protect sitter from drafts

Important Materials and Textiles

- damask

- toile de jouy

- needlepoint

- flock

- damask

- reversible patterned fabric

- often silk

- scrolling floral motifs

Toile de Jouy

- printed scenic fabric

- usually cotton or linen

- on bedding or upholstery

Needlepoint

- decorative embroidery for upholstery

Flock

- fabric with raised velvet-like pattern

Common woods

- walnut

- oak

- beech

- elm

- wild cherry

- imported mahogany and fruitwoods

Guild System (Major Furniture Crafts)

- Menuisiers

- Ebenistes

Menuisiers

- chair makers

- worked with carved wood

Ebenistes

- Cabinet maker

- veneered furniture and marquetry

Ciseleurs

- metal artisans who engraved decorative bronze or ormolu

- the greatest of all: Pierre Gauthier

Hotel de Soubise (Paris)

- Rococo interior

- by Germain Bouffard

- oval Salon de la Princesse

Features of Hotel de Soubise

- curving walls

- decorative plasterwork

- boiserie panels

- light colors

Decorative Techniques

- Boulle Work

- Japaning

- Vernis Martin

Boulle Work

- inlay technique using brass, tortoiseshell

Japanning

- European imitation of Asian lacquer

Vernis Martin

- French lacquer-like decorative finish

Porcelain Types

- hard paste

- soft paste

- bone China

Le Petit Trianon, Ange-Jacques Gabriel

- neoclassical architecture

- classical columns

- symmetry

- simple geometric forms

French Provincial Style

- made by rural craftsmen

- simpler construction

- copied older Parisian styles

- made for middle class, landed gentry, wealthier peasants

Most copied of French Provincial Style

- Louise XV and XVI

- Armoire was an important piece

- desk was a status symbol

Five Regional Styles

- Normandy

- Provence

- Burgundy

- Brittany

- Alsace

Printing Press

- by Johannes Gutenberg

- allowed creation of pattern books

- artisans could share and copy designs

Pompeii Excavations

- inspired the Neoclassical Movement