The period of Louis XVI was an era of change in more respects than furniture design. Louis XIV had brought on the era of ostentatious design in furniture, architecture, and all other areas of French life for the elite. Louis XV carried the excesses beyond imagination. Louis XVI marked his era with delicate, feminine styles.
While the French Revolution was in the making during the reign of Louis XV, it exploded during the reign of Louis XVI.
The style of furniture follows the styles of architecture, although furniture styling moves much more slowly. The arts began to return to the classic style near the end of the 18th century. While it is impossible to determine the exact time frame for the return of furniture styling to the classical, it seems to have begun around 1760. The transition took approximately ten years, ushering in the Louis XVI era.
The first signs of what has become known as the Louis XVI era were in the motifs or ornament, moving from the frivolous and overly decorated to the more pastoral scenes. At first the form of the furniture made little change, while the ornament began the evolution back to the classical.
Gradually, the curves and the bows began to transition to the straighter lines, bringing in more linear and rectangular shapes. Curves and ovals remained but not in the excess of the Rococo style.
At first the cabriole leg remained while the shape of the furniture cabinets and desks modified. Finally, the transition completed with the return of the straight legs. By the time Louis XVI actually ascended to the throne in 1774, the style of his era had made full transition.
If there was one real saving grace of the reign of Louis XVI it was the design of furniture during his era. As sophisticated and as frivolous as the designs of Louis XIV and Louis XV, Louis XVI brought in a simpler design that tossed aside much of the excesses. Instead, Louis XVI brought reason to the furniture style of his era.
The two predecessors of Louis XVI had spent the country almost into bankruptcy. When Louis XVI arrived on the scene, there was no money left for excesses. The furniture designs of his era demonstrated restraint, a more subtle style, and less ostentatious colors and patterns.
It must be noted that the Sheraton style, the English contemporary of Louis XVI, took much of the style from the Louis XVI era but did so with more feeling and more character.
You must log in to post a comment.