Little Illustrated Books on Old French Furniture IV. French Furniture

LITTLE ILLUSTRATE D B OOKS ON OL D FR E NCH FU R N ITU R E I V F E C H F U T U E . R N R N I R UN DE R LOU I S XV I AN D T H E E M PIRE FRE NC H F URNIT UR E

FR E C F I T E I N T H E M I D LE I . N H URN UR D AGE S A ND UN D E R LOU I S XIII FR E N C H FU R N I TU RE UND E R LOU I S XI V FR E N C H FURN I TU R E UN D E R LOU I S XV FRE N CH FUR N I TU R E UN D E R LOU I S XVI A N D TH E E M PI RE E NGL I SH FURNIT URE ( P reviouslypublished)

E GL I S F R I T R E U N D E T H E I . N H U N U R TU D OR S A N D STU ARTS E N L I S F I TU R E OF T H E E E I I . G H URN QU N AN N E PE R I OD I I E GLI S F R I TU E OF TH E CR I PP I . N H U N R E N DALE PE R I OD E GLI SH F I T E OF TH E SH E TO I V. N URN UR RA N PE RI OD

E ach v o lu m e pro fu s elyillu s tra t ed wi th full-p age re pro du ctio ns a nd co lo u re d fro ntis pie c es

ro n C t/z rice d C w lo 5. 6 net , p 4 .

O N W H E E L NDO : ILLIAM IN MANN

O R -POSTE R B E D M O NY AND F U , AH GA WIT S TI H I NGS B R SS G A , H A N AN

LITTLE ILLUSTR ATE D BOOKS ON OLD FR E NCH FU R NITU R E IV

FR E N C H FU R N I T U R E

U N DE R L OU I S XV I A N D T H E E M PI R E

B Y R OGE R DE FELICE

T R ANSLAT E D B Y M AT KI N SON F . .

LON DON M C M XX WILLIAM HE INE M ANN L ndo n te WO NS o . Prin d b O DS SO y , , N IN T R ODUCT ION I N this volume E mpire furniture will occupy a a m a much less sp ce th n Louis Seize . It y a s s a a O i perh p be enough to y th t , in our pin on , this inequality is amply justified by the diff er e nce s r r an d a a a in me it , comfo t , d pt bleness to the needs of ordin ary life th at exist between the two styles ; but there is one more solid an d r a aim a positive e son . The of this h ndbook, a a like its predecessors , is to imp rt better know Of a ledge the furniture of p st times , but most of all r a w as an d a a the fu niture th t simple pr ctic l , the good, honest pieces with no pretentions to a r sh m luxu iousness , belonging to the modest middle classes or even the country folk of Old

a . E had Fr nce Now, the mpire Style never time a wa to m ke its yinto the depths of the provinces ,

Wr a . an he e everything is so slow to ch nge In y a a a and archae o c se , how could th t style , so le rned a had an d logic l, which sprung finished complete from the brain of a few fan atical devotees of a as M a ra a ntiquity, once inerv sp ng in full p noply — from out of the head of Jupiter how could a a a a o th t style , so l cking in tr dition , ever h ve f und favour with the count ry people of France P How could they have understood it And accordingly we find it left no trace in the output of the a a workshops of Provence or Norm ndy or Britt ny. R and E and During the evolution the mpire , still a r a - a an d l te , the country c binet m kers , those in the vi I N T R O D U C T I O N

a sm ll towns , went on quietly with Louis XVI n s a styles , which were ofte imply Louis XV h rdly at all an d modified , they continued this up to the moment when industri al production on a a a ra and a l rge sc le , cent lised c rried out by a r m chine y, shut , one by one for ever , the little workshops from which throughout two centuries so much simple beauty had issued to spre ad its a t e boon mong h dwellings of the unpretentious . The E mpire Style undoubtedly has its own a a be uty ; it is simple , severe , not very cordi l , but a an d sometimes imposing in gr ndeur, superb in its air ; but it is almost always only the most costly and luxurious pieces that have these qualities ; their m ateri al must be supremely as a a a fine , it is displ yed in l rge m sses with little

decor ation . The bronzes must be excellent in a sculpture , since they often m ke the whole of the ff and a a as rich e ect , bec use being isol ted , they a are a a s a usu lly , in the middle of l rge p nel of b re a an a an wood, they ssume extreme import nce , d a a necess rily hold the eye . The actu l composition of these met al appliques can the less permit of r a as O has a medioc ity, in smuch it ften to m ke up o n for p verty in their invention a d design . An E ie ce a C a mpire p m de on the he p , with too much r venee ing , too little bronze or bronzes inferiorly a at all ch sed or not , gives the impression of rubbish made expressly for catch -penny b argain a was s les ; indeed , it not precisely under the E a R a mpire , perh ps during the evolution , th t che ap - j ack furniture first came into being ? In a I N T R O D U C T I O N vii

a has word , the ordin ry product of this epoch n nothing to call for a y infatuated devotion . A -a a m a l very wide w ke collector ystil , from time to a a and a time, pick up in the he rt of P ris , for mere s a a l ong, uthentic J cobs unrecognised by the sel er has a a 0 who them tucked w y in his sh p , but they are a an d by becoming r re , the side of these lovely i things , pure in l ne, sometimes with exquisite an d ra a a curves of superior c ftsm nship , how m ny dull fl at horrors there are that have not even the excuse of being unpretentious It h as doubtless been Observed that the Dire c toire Style has no place in the title of this a a M a volume nor even in the t ble of ch pters . ny are a a a as st—yles b dly n med, but none so b dly this ii it even exists at all . The government of the

Directors endured four years altogether . Did anyone ever see a style Spring up an d est ablish itself in so short a time ? It would be more sa R e vo lu tio n St le a correct to y y , for ch irs with ! 1 s a a a hovel b cks , or roll m de of pl in wood, a a l either pierced or c rved in we k re ief, furniture a a and a decor ted with lozenges , d isies st rs ; beds with triangular pediments ; all these were being ma de from 1 790 ; we even find models in R as a collections before the evolution , such th t of Aubert This transition period recalls the Regency by the double character of the furniture it pro duced . Cert ain pieces c arry on the direct tradition of i i i Louis XVI , wh le little by little mod fyng the The as te ris k re fe rs to the index at the e nd. I N T R O D U C T I O N lines to which cabinet - m a kers had been faithful during thirty ye ars others displaying that excess in novelty which three quarters of a century ' a had a a R o ca z lle a all e rlier ch r cterised , repudi te ‘ a s a ns - cu lo z tes and are o r the p st like the , m e or less exact copies of Greco - R om an models ; of ’ this kind are the celebrated pieces from D avid s r wo kshop , which were speedily copied on every a W e r ar a a h nd . hen the imperi l rives , it will drop all the exaggeration an d ret ain the essence of r a these novelties , give them mo e restr int , more ni a o r o u formity too , in w d , m re style , precisely as the epoch of Louis XV had done for the some a o what disordered im gination i the R egency . And so the Directoire style is Louis XVI ending and also the birth of the E mpire ; but it is not an d independent an finished style in itself . an a an d a Without y further pre mble , fter expressing our profound gratitude to the owners a and of ntique pieces , to the keepers of museums a an d 1 in P ris throughout the country, to whose

1 hn l e . l . Ka e . d e élic e M e s dame s d e Flandre s and M l M F , y y , M l M o u tte t e s s e urs M ar u s B ernard B runs chvic Cérés o le a nd , M i i , g, Br u e t uc ene L ad a n- kai az re ez at a and , B o c ry, L a e , iq D h , M i M z To uz ain o f Par s A ndr Clama e ran o f R o u e n ad ame , i ; M. é g , M B ro u is s e M e s s e urs e l and o u s a o f Bo rd e aux ad ame q , i Ab L i J y, ; M M e niac me o f Sa nt M ed ard ro nd e lle . ar e a ada y , i (Gi ) ; M M i J y, M L aré nére e s s e urs u lle t- a u an L o re ilhe and Pas caud o f g , M i G i D b , , Sa nte -Fo -la- rand e ro nd e s d ame s Co l n and R o ud e r i y G (Gi e ) M i i , - - o f L a ere d e Pra r nd e . f Simo nd ie Rivi t ( Gi o ) ; M Ducro s o (Do rd o gne ) and the Dire cto rs o f the Mus eu m o f the Unio n c entra e d e s rts d co rat s o f the Carnavale t use um o f the l A é if , M , De partme ntal Mus e um o f Antiquities o f Ro uen and o f the M us eo n

A rlate n.

PR IN CIPAL AUT HOR IT I E S “ ” B Y D E I LE : L e Style o u s . Par s . A AR , M L i XVI i ” L e St le E m re . Par s . y pi i

“ ’ BE OIT COI S : L Art ranca s s o us la o lut o n e t N , FRAN f i Rév i ’ ” l E m ire . Paris 18 p , 97 .

“ CH AMPE AU x F E DE L e e uble (B l o t e u e d e , AL R D M ib i h q ’ - l E ns e i ne m B u rts . Par s . g e nt d es e a x A ) i “ ’ H V D H E I : ct o nn a re d e l Ame ubleme nt e t d e la A AR , NR Di i i ” Dec rati n. P r s o o a i .

“ ’ FO D P L : L A rt d e c o ratif e t ls o l e r So us la LA N , AU M bi i ’ u l u e e t l E m ire . Par s 1 00. Rép b iq p i , 9 “ L al d e s rts a l ues a M OL INI E R E I E . H s to re n r e A , M i i gé é pp iq ’ ” l I ndus trie . Par s 18 6 V o l. i , 9 ( ” 1 SE Y O DE I CCI : Le St e o u s . Par s 1 3 M UR R yl L i XVI i , 9

CON T E N T S

C H AP. INTRODUCTION PART I H S O Y OF TH E TWO S Y E A I T R T L S PART II LOUIS XVI FURNITURE I . CH ARACTE RI STICS A ND TE CH NIQUE OF T H E STY LE

II . PANE LLE D FURNITURE A ND TABLE S

. CH A S A ND S P E E III IR VARIOU I C S : A LOUIS XVI INTE RIOR PART III E MPIRE FURNITURE H C E S CS AND TE CH I E E OF I . C ARA T RI TI N Q T H E STY LE I I O S C E S OF N E AND . VARI U ARTI L FUR ITUR TH E IR U SE INDE X-GLOSSARY

L IST OF ILLUST R AT ION S

ur- s ter B ed M a ho a n a nd B ra ss wi th Sa tin H a n i n s Fo po , g y , g g F ron tz spz ece Lea a Do o r I . f of ed Wo a nel o Ca rv o d 2. P f No rma nd Cu bo a rd i n Oa k 3 . y p Cu bo a rd w th R evo lu tio na r E mblems 4. p i y -m n Sha ed . La r e Cu bo a rd fro m the G ro n d e H a l oo p 5 g p i , f M a ho a n Cu bo a rd ro m the So u th-wes t o ra nce wi th 6. g y p f f F , M o u ld i ngs i n Wlnu e n a u bo a rd a 7 . Prov c l C p t Wnu Cr de n d b rd r m A rles i n a l t 8 . e ce S e o a f o i , E ta ere 9 . g B rea o a r I O. d Cupb d ro n ri n n Wlnu 1 1 ve a l V t e i a t . P c i

12. E ta ere ro m Ar i n Wa lnu t f les , g 9 I . Kn ea d n Tro u h ro ni Arles i n Wa nu t l 3 i g g f , I Vi tr ne i n M a ho a n w th B ra s s rna men ts I O 4. i g y i O ’ n Wo o d s 11 1 . Co r e r Cu bo a rd i n M a r u etr o d i ere n t Co lo ur ed 5 p q y, f fi 1 D ro ro n t E s cr i re i n M a r u e tr w th G lt B ro nz e: 12 6. pf i to q y i i - ra ss I I 7 . B o nheu r d a o u r wi th R o ll ro n t i n M a ho a ny a nd B 3 J f , g 18 . Commo d e wi th Two D ra wers a nd o n Le s i n M a r ue tr 1 g , q y 4 - 1 . Commo d e w th T m n h rced 9 i er i a l S aped Legs a nd Pi e i n Wa u ln t mmod e h lu n m n h d a h a s n Wa lnu t 20. Co w t F ti s Di i i s e t t e B e z i g , , 2 1 Co mmod e wi h Tou i e F e t z n M a ho a n a nd B ra ss . t p e , g y mm 2 2. Co o d e o n L e s i n M a h a n Ven ee r g , og y “ ! 2 Co mmo d e w h d d e B che i n d Tu lz 1 3 . t ie s , R os ewo o p 7 i P i , woo d a nd Lemon-woo d 2 roven a l Co mmo d e wi th R evo lu t o na r E mble ms m 4. P c i y , Wa nu l t 2 Ta ll Chi o nniere wi th Tou i e eet i n M a ho a n a nd 5. fi p F , g y l; ra s s 26 E scrito i re-commo de h Gi r n n - . f ro m t e o de , i E lm woo d Ca rd Ta ble o n i vo t i n a ho a n P , M g y ri a n u la r old i n a n Wa lnu T T ble i t g F g ,

2 . B o u llo tte ta ble i n G Wa nd M a r l 9 i ilt ood b e 0. B o mllo tte ta ble i n M a ho a n B ra ss a n 3 g y, d M a rble

1. Cons ole w: ( h Two Le s i n a i n ted Wood 3 g , P

2. Co ns o le w th Two L e s n Wa l nu 3 i t i g , . Co nso le with Two n Wd Le s i Gz lt 33 g , oo ” . Sma ll Ta ble wi th ed s de B iche i n Wa ln u be n 34 t Pi , ( gi m ug of the s tyle)

. N ht Ta bl n 3 5 ig e i M a hoga ny a nd B ra ss l R A x vi LI ST OF ILLU ST TION S

FI G . Chi o nn i er e i n Tu l -wo od a nd M a rble 36 . fi ip Chz o nn z ere i n M a ho a n a nd B ra ss 3 7. fi g y A rm-cha i r end o the s t le 3 8 . ( f y ) 27 e ere i n Wo o h s ed n L s t n B r a B r d U ol ter i o n Sa o c d e 3 9 . g , p y i - ha n W A rm c i r o a ted o o d U h ls t d i n U re h 0. o e re t c t Velvet 28 4 f P i , p Ca br ole t A rm-cha r M ed a llio n B a ck 4 1. , i i 29 Ca br o le t A rm-cha r wi th Fid d le B a ck 42. i i Ca br o le t A rm-cha r with R o u nd Sea t i n Wa ln u t 43 . i i , a brio le t A rm-cha r n l W C i G t o o d 44. i i ! m-cha i r w h S u a re B a k i n Wa n u A r i t c l t 45. q , rm-cha i r w h U ri h s l i n Gi Wn o d d 6. A t t Co n o es lt o o e 1 4 i p g , ( f 3 the s tyle) L a r e A rm-cha i r co ve red i n Au bu ss o n G lt Wd o o 47 . g , i Cha r w th u v r- ha ed L e s n Wa ln 8 e s i u t 4 . i i Q i p g , -s ha ed S l n Wh X to o i Cell o o d w t S u a re A u bu ss on 49 . p , i q 33 cu s hz o n ! r n W h B r e e i a ln u t U o ls r i n U r h 0. e te ed t ec t Velve t 5 g , p 1 Sma ll B er ere i n a n e d Wd 1 t o o 5 . g , P i Co n es s o n a l B r n W er i a n ted o d 2 . e e o 5 f i g , P i Cha r w th Fla t B a lu s ter B a ck i n G l Wd t o o 53 . i i , i -B a cked Ch a r i n W L re G lt o o d 54. y i i Cha r w t h O e n B a ck i n a n t d Wo d e o 55. i i p , P i and 8 M a ho a n D n n Cha rs w th Ca ne Sea s o r 6 57 5 . y t , 5 , g i i g i i Co ve red i n L ea the r

- 60 and 61. Stra w s ea ted Cha i rs a nd A rnm ha i r w th L re 59, i y B a cks - 62. Ca rved Stra w s ea ted Cha i r Stra w-s ea ted A rm-cha i r wi h Cu s h 6 3 . t io ns Stra w-se a ted Cha i r w th Shea B a ck 64. i f - 6 . Stra w s ea ted Cha r ro m the Do rd o n e i n Cherr -woo d 5 i f g , y Stra w-s ea ed A rm-c ha r ro m h D rd n n h r 66. t t e o o e i C e ry i f g , wo o d

Stra w ~s ea ted Cha i r ro m the Do rd o ne i n Ch rr -w o d 67 . f g , e y o Stra w-s ea ted So a ro m ro vence w th i ts Cus ln o ns 68 . f f P i a n Wh So i Gi lt o od U o s t r d m e hé S lk nd o h 6 . l e e B r c e t e 9 f , p i ( f s tyle) 0 Cha s e Lo n u e i n On e iece Go nd o la ha 7 . g P , S pe i ’ Cha se L o n u e B r s i n T u a 7 1. g ee wo E q l Pi eces i i ’ 2 . Cha se L o n u e B rz s ee i n Two Une u a l i eces , 7 g q P i ’ Cha s e Lo n u e B r se i n Thr s 7 3 . i g i e ee Pi ece - . o u r o s ter B ed ro m Lo rra i ne Ca rved in the R ena issa nce 7 4 F p f , Tra d t o n i i ” An el B ed w th H a i -s ha ed Do ss iers i n a in t d Wod . e o 7 5 g i p , P 6. A n el B ed w th A rched Doss z ers i n a n ted Wo o d 7 g , P i ' i cr n i n a in d Wo a S ee te o d nd B ro ch S lk 77 . P e i n n Wu a 78 . Scree i a ln t nd B roca tclle Ca se Clo ck i n a k a ris 7 9. O , P Ca s e Clo ck i n a k r m r n 8 0. O f o Lo ra i e

PAR T ON E : A HISTOR Y OF H E TWO T L T S Y E S E M PIR E furniture diff ers widely from that of the Louis XVI period ; and yet the two styles are derived from the s ame principle applied fro m 1 760 to the R evolution with a gre at deal of dis an d a a a and cretion respect for the n tion l t ste , from 1 789 to 1 8 1 5 with the most u nc o m r 13 a promising rigour . This p inciple th t of the a t a w as a i mit tion of Antiqui y . Th t not merely a a a p rticul r circumst nce , limited to the restricted r art Of a - a as it ci cle of the the c binet m ker , but , a a a a is c lled , f ct o civilis tion ; something like f — in a different proportion what the R enaiss ance had been to Fr ance in the sixteenth century . r t r a a This e u n to Antiquity, in f ct , m nifested itself all a a and a in the rts , in liter ture , even , little a a and l ter , in the w ys customs of the French I t s a as people . evolution took pl ce pretty much I n art the sixteenth century ; the of Louis XV, like the flamboyant Gothic art of the fifteenth e was an art a w as and c ntury, th t purely French and t he modern , which owed nothing, with e a a xception of cert in works of rchitecture , to - Greco R oman antiquity . The influence of the a at fi a I t l tter rst tr nsformed only little by little , with every kind of compromise and accommoda a a and tion, moving on by regul r st ges , never I 2 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E clashing directly with the national character or R a a . a modern h bits The first French en iss nce , a and a th t of the reigns of Louis XII , of Fr ncois

had a t a . the First , done ex c ly the s me A little a as o f o r r l ter , in the time Philibert Del me , Pie re and du C a a Lescot Androuet erce u , the imit tion o f antiquity becomes much more severely exact ; has r fo r it its extreme theo ists , whose scorn every thing not Greek and R om an is complete and u h a and E r mitig ted ; now the mpire Style is bo n , the exact reverse of all that had been purely French a r in our pplied a t . The E mpire then is not a reaction against o a the Louis XVI Style , but its l gic l outcome . ra ff an d a an The b ins of sti undevi ting logici s , such as were so numerous in the revolutionary an d a a Pe rcie r o nt ai ne imperi l epochs , like D vid, , F a So u filo t and r coming fter men like Ledoux, we e a a a inevit bly bound, with the republic n m nners in a a help g things on , to dr w this bsolute con e lusion from the premises imprudently laid down a ar a thirty ye rs e lier . Th t is why it is fitting to set forth at one and the s ame time the history are of two styles which quite distinct, but the second of which prolongs the first with an a a e o imm cul t c rrectness . The Louis XV Style had become quite out of a at an a at ar a a f shion , y r te P is , m ny ye rs before the death of the King whose name has been r w as a u 1 60 a given to it ; to be p ecise , it bo t 7 th t furniture decoration and applied arts in general a d r were seen to turn in , new i ection , while T H E V O G U E OF A N T I Q U I T Y 3

Louis XVI wa s not to succeed his grandfather “ 1 s r until 774. Thi fi st vogue of articles in the ” r a as a a G eek m nner , they were then c lled, c me — immediately after the appearance t he c o inci — dence is c o mple te o f a whole series of works on and a a Ancient Greece Ancient It ly, ccounts of ra C Of archwo lo ic al t vels , ollections documents , g

. ré a 1 0 had studies P sident de Brosses , bout 74 , a a a a a brought the cl ssic l It li n tour into f shion . ’ From 1 749 to 1 751 M adame Pompado ur s M a a e and a brother , then rquis de V ndi res , l ter M a M ar ha d rquis de igny, been sent by his sister a t o r R and on mission Flo ence , ome Venice , with a Co and ar So u filo t fo the rtist chin the chitect , fo rm his t aste by the study o f the work to R a a an d a all R a the en iss nce , bove of the om n a r a ntiquities , befo e becoming Surintend nt des a 1 a Be ux Arts to Louis XV . In 754 the rchitect a a t E a and a Leroy p id visi to the st , four ye rs ’ after published the R u in es a es p lus be a u x a m o n u m e nts d e la Grece . The le rned Comte Ca a a é I nscri de ylus , member of the Ac d mie des p tions and the Académie de Peinture e t de r a a a a art and a Of Sculptu e , gre t m teur in p tron “ ar ro a a o a tists , helped in the p p g ti n of the t ste fo r the antique with all his i n fluence he had

ra ro r a M . t velled th ugh Tu key, Greece , Asi inor R e cu e l e tie n n es His huge i gyp , étru s u es re c u e s a u lo is es a a a q , g q , g beg n to ppe r o in 1 7 52 an d had a b rilliant success f curiosity . Five ye ars l ater ca me his Ta b/ca u se tires ’ d H o mere ci d e Vi r i/e a g , collection of 4 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E subjects to be treated by sculptors and a a a and t s p inters tired of p stor ls f e e ga la ntes . ’ But what struck men s im agin atio ns most w as r a and th e the discove y of Hercul neum Pompeii, two dead towns that were then beginning to lift r C and a a ae their sh oud of inders l v . Arch ology was m ade over again from foundation to coping a all at a a a in stone ; it bec me once live , f mili r , t e re st in r a g to the most frivolous spi it , for wh t the excavations were on this occasion bringing out once more into the light of d ay was no longer a la ar o a r a a a muti ted m ble tors , b oken rchitr ve , a a a e s rcoph gus , but the round whole of ncient lif ; and a a all the temples the the tres , but bove the ra s houses with their deco tions , their furnishing , r and a a a s thei utensils , the whole setting pp r tu of a and daily life . Henceforw rd we knew how beds t ables were m ade in a Greco - R oman town of the r r a a a i and fi st centu y, mur l p intings , l mps , s lver bronze t able ware ; and acc o rdingly nothing was more deeply influenced than the art of the a - a r r r was c binet m ke by this esur ection, which immediately made known to France by several ’ a s a l H O it al works . As e rly a 1 748 the M rquis de p an d the s avant D arthenay were publishing a M ém o z re his to r iqu e e t cr itiqu e s u r la ville ’ s o u te rra in e a e co u ve rte d a p ie d d a m o nt Ve s u ve in 1 750 Président de Brosses was writing ’ L e ttres s u r l éta t a ctu e l d e la ville s o u te rra i n e ’ ’ d H e r cu lee ; the next year it was a L ettre s u r ’ les pe intu res d H e rc u la n u m from Caylus him self ; and in 1754 the Obs erva tio ns s u r les W K A N E O U T L O O 5

' ’ a ntiqu ites d H e rcu /a n u m by Cochin and B e llicard a fo r th e , while w iting the collection of ’ A nti u ités d H e rcu la n u m a M a é a q , by Sylv in r ch l d n . a . a F A . D vid s Thu , in the middle of the eighteenth century, archae ology is no longer the speciality of t he a é and Benedictines , the Ac d mie des Inscriptions a handful o f the erudite exch anging obscure memoranda among one another ; it interests folk at a a a in the world l rge , it is f shion ble . But this a a a a f shion , which might h ve been no more th n a and fleeting c price , becomes something profound a a a a l sting , whole new ttitude of mind, th nks to the potent patronage of people like M adame de a and Pomp dour , to the support given it by the philosophic writers with their customary e n thu siasm and R a a Diderot ousse u especi lly, a and a a smitten with Plut rch Senec , never ce se a a a ch nting the pr ises of ntiquity, simple , virtuous a and i a ntiquity, enjoin ng rtists like other citizens to le arn from it lessons of dignity and good con

duct . They never perceive , these worshippers of a a a n ture , th t the Louis XV Style , cle rly under

in was a r . stood its essence , n tu e itself It is in the dom ain of a rchitecture an d in that of the trinket that the movement of re action

. a a a a begins Architecture is gr ve person ge , little heavy to set in motion ; she does not a a an d a ar are em ncip te herself often , her v g ies of short duration ; she w as only too happy to fall back under the e asy yoke of Vitruvius and to find e r l r h r once more , with h be oved t iglyphs , e most 6 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

! . a a a restful denticles And so m nsions , p l ces , a are all a r the tres , churches , in the Greek m nne the curved line that everywhere was supinely cir00 in and a t ~_ p g now pulls itself together str ightens ie ' upN R o ca ille is b anished from the c arved stone and r a a a and work f om p inted or p nelled w lls , is replaced by the classic designs th at had fallen for a r a o and moment f om f v ur , which the sixteenth seventeenth centuries had alrea dy borrowed from

. a are a the Ancients After the Greek lso ch sed, are a are a a and h mmered, en melled, the thous nd one b aubles with which both feminine an d a r are n an d m sculine d ess fi ished off, the trinkets

with which, in this century, people delight so much to load their pockets o r cover the small pieces of furniture with which they s urround a a a a themselves . It is n tur l th t these little rticles should have been the first to follow the new ’

a . f shion Then come goldsmiths work, bronzes ' fo r fu rnit u re and , the furniture itself ; first the nd l and r a a a . o n ment tion , then the ine structure a and r a P inting sculpture will b ing up the re r, a the r tow rds the end of centu y, under the vigorous impetus of D avid . a o We h ve n ted, in the preceding volume , the first somewhat hot protest th at w as raised again st a a r the gree ble f eedom of the Louis XV Style , but a it is worth returning to it . It h d appeared first all M e rc u re d e F ra n ce of , unsigned, in the , for 1 a Su lica December , 754, under the title of pp ‘ tio n a u x Or evre s Cis e le u rs Scu l te u rs e n / , , p o is p o ur les a u rtements et a u tres a r u n b pp , p e

8 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E t rifle s a are a th t now custom ry, it will do more ” honour to their t alent . The flowery elegance a s all of the orn ment , the ingenious inventions “ of the designers who venture to substitute herbages and o ther paltry prettinesses for the and a modillions , the denticles other orn ments invented by men who knew much more about it a th n they do , find no mercy from this pitiless “ are a a s censor . If we sking for too m ny thing at a at a a once , let them gr nt us le st one f vour , a he h ce fo rt h a th t the princip l moulding , which a and r a they ordin rily torment conto t , sh ll be and a a a a sh ll rem in str ight , conform bly to the principles of good architecture we will then consent that they shall m ake their orn aments writhe around and over it as much as seems good to them ; we shall count ourselves not so S an man a unlucky, ince y of good t ste into whose a an a a ma a h nds such p rtment ycome , will be ble with a mere chisel to knock a way all these and nostrums , find once more the simple moulding th at will provide him with a sober ” a r a i decor tion f om which his re son w ll not suffer . “ : a In conclusion With reg rd to them , it only a S and a rem ins for us to igh in secret to w it until, au their invention being exh sted , they themselves a a a grow tired of it . It ppe rs th t this time is at a e n a h nd, for th y do nothi g now but repe t and a themselves , we h ve grounds for hoping that the desire to do something novel will a r bring back the ncient a chitecture . ’ e n a a C Wwas a T ye rs l ter , ochin s ish gr nted ; P S E U D O - H E L L E N I S M 9

a 1 6 m a a under the d te of 7 4, we y re d in the ' M e m o ires Se cre ts of B achau m o nt The mania o f the present day is to m ake everything after ” r and a 1 6 a the G eek ; it is lso in 7 4, ten ye rs ’ r a a XVI a i A m a te u r befo e the rriv l of Louis , th t w as a a a r a . . a cted , comedy by ce t in N T B rthe , one of whose d ra m a tis p e rs o n ce s aid fo rt unate ly fo r us

The as o n is all fo r the re e : o ur urn ture o ur je we ls , f hi G k f i , a r cs e ad-dre ss e u a e F b i , h , q ip g , E er t in is re e e c e t o ur s o uls v y h g G k, x p

r a In ve y truth their souls were h rdly Greek, w a and nor their y of living, nor their costumes , the furniture artists of the time had the good t aste an d the good sense to bear the fact in e and mind ; progressiv ly, by slight touches , they modified the articles of furniture which the had a a a preceding epoch cre ted , so well d pted o r all as f modern life . First of it w the bronzes an d the carved an d inlaid decorations th at borrowed their elements from ancient archit e c o r a was a a ture ( wh t so c lled), the form rem ining

. c an a a a r untouched We see , for ex mple, rmch i s a all a of the tr nsition type , of whose lines h ve are the sinuosities of the Louis XV Style , but which orn amented with ra ngs d e pia s tres or with e n tre la cs a r p ied s d c biche ; t bles with c ooked legs ( ), whose festooned frame is decorated with fi u t ings M a r a s (Fig . ny p ovinci l work hops never got o a E bey nd this st ge , even under the mpire . Afterwards it is the lines of construction that are gradually transformed ; the c urves become I O L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

e a ff a t he simplifi d , decre se or sti en one fter other - a into rectitude . An arm chair st ill has a b ck a a sh ped like fiddle (Fig . but its legs , and are and a turned fluted, rigid squ re with the

a Fi . 2 2 frame of the se t . A commode ( g ) still has S its legs lightly curved , but its body is already rect angular both in section and elevation . a C a a The tr nsition period , whose hybrid h r cter has a a an often much of gr ce , m inly comes to end a a and a when th t D uphin D uphiness , who ‘ a a between them c nnot count up forty ye rs , an d a a a become king queen of Fr nce , ccl imed by n the love a d the hope of the whole nation . During about fifteen ye ars ( 1 770 - 1 7 8 5) e vo lu a a a at a a and tion rem ins pr ctic lly st ndstill, the a c an differences th t be noted , in style , between. an d at a this th type of rticle , more or less recti a in a line r design , with orn ment more florid or ar t a are f r more chitec ur l, not dif erences due to thei r are a a r pe iod, but rel ted r ther to the dive sity of t emper ament in the artists or divergence of t aste in those for whom the pieces were intended . The first of the great -cabinet makers of t he I n a and t Louis XVI period point of d te , withou an a a y dispute , in point of t lent , is Je n Henri Rie se n e r a a S a as an a re n , who fter h ving t rted , pp “ ” ’ a Oebe n s tice , by m king Louis Quinze in r was wo kshop , to live long enough to see the E mpire Style triumph ant and his o wn produc

a e . r a a tions disd in d This g e t rtist , whose works are the very flower of French t aste in the age wh was was h s a r en it purest, nevert eles foreigne , R I E S E N E R T H E A R T I S T I I

a a a m rvellously ssimil ted, it is true , but by birth

was a . a Q eh he Germ n At the de th of en , even ' ' had as m a itre e ben is te before he been received , he took over the management of his workshop and a a then m rried his widow . He bec me known by finishing the orders given to his former a a - M a employer by the roy l G rde euble , mong a a K other Items , the f mous bure u of ing Louis XV, now in the Louvre ; and in the height of the R 1 1 M a evolution , in 79 , he delivered to rie Antoinette the escritoire and the commode that once were the gems of the celebrated H amilton C and are a ollection, now the gems of th t belong in M r . K. a . g to . W V nderbilt It might be said that R ie se ner unites all the qualities of the style with which we are at pre sent o are c ncerned . His works , in their composition as a a hi a ro o rt io ne d whole , mple , ll of gr ndeur , p a a I n F to perfection , rchitectur l the est sense of and a a a a an d the word , with l lw ys gr ceful supple as a in line ; for their orn ment , whether it be a a m rquetry or ch sed bronze , it is exquisite , now abundant and flowery as a rose garden I n M ay M ar a an d Rie se ne r ie Antoinette dored roses , — const antly worked for her and now displaying a masc uline soberness which is of the very highest a a t ste . With him the outline is never rid ; according t o the excellent custom of the time of Louis XV he almost invariably adorned the sharp e dges o f his pieces with be aded or corded mould ing in bronze ormolu gilt ; he understood ho w to temper with impecc able touch the deliberat e 1 2 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E “ ” rigidity of the Greek Style by means of a supple twining branch boldly bestriding a right an a a a sa and a line , or c nthus le f full of p life pl ced N O at the right spot . one ever had to a higher degree the art of interpreting into elegance the a and elements purveyed by ntiquity, it is note worthy that the older he became the more a a a he multiplied d inty g rl nds , showers of blossoms , and draperies with soft flowing curves ; it might have been said that by redoubling French grace he wa s making his protest against the triumphant i o ia a ant qu man of the time . He even rem ined a — I n 1 1 was all and f ithful which 79 , to intents u r o se s an act de fi ance —t o a C p , of p nels of hinese r ac qu e . M artin Carlin is also an excellent represent ative a a a u of this ple s nt Louis XVI m nner , which is q ite at its ease with antiquity ; he also readily em ployed old black and gold lacquer ; his delicate a a a a bronzes , deeply ch sed, perh ps trifle ffected , were frequently tiny garlands embossed upon the ra a mouldings of the f mework, or slender , eleg nt a b alusters adorning the ngles . He loved the striking contrast of gilded bronzes upon polished a and m at a ebony, d rk shi mering the s me time ,

which had recovered its bygone favour . We will be able to group together the cabinet make rs o f a f a a severer t ste , o he vier t ste too , who sacrifi e d a a a a more to s cros nct ntiquity , b nished — — fl o we rs too frivolous an d knots of ribbon too and a a a coquettish ; m rquetry, whose f ult is th t it was a never (perh ps) known to the Ancients . to R O E N T G E N M A R Q U E T R Y 1 3

all a s a keep their ffection for tiff lines , l rge uniform a and w a a fi broken surf ces , by y of decor tion for e o vo lo s fl u t in s and a t , ogees , modillions , g c blings R of the oman architects . Here will t ake his a a - a was pl ce Je n Fr ncois Leleu , who the first to inl ay with thin brass the grooves of his flu t ings and to put metal rings round his pil asters ; Claude C a a r an a ar a h rles S unie , eleg nt tist in m rquetry at hi s a a a the outset of c reer , but tow rds the end a a en re man gre t upholder of the ntique g , whose a r E ner is trifle poverty st icken ; tienne Avril , a E a a a are whose pieces , v guely nglish In ppe r nce , a a a and a squ re , geometric l , with sh rp edges , p nels a a I n a of pl in uniform veneer , fr med very n rrow mou dings of gilt bronze . l — D avid Roentgen he w as generally c alled D a vid —was a a i R ie se ne r Germ n l ke , but much less Fre nchifi e d than he ; his principal workshop was at and had a Ot at a Neuwied, he only de P ris , where he c ame at frequent intervalp to pick up and a his orders , to procure designs m ke enquiries as a a a to the f shions . For the gener l sh pe of his was S as as pieces , which extremely imple , well their inconspicuous and almost rudiment ary a a bronzes , he would be cl ssed with the m kers of a S a whom we h ve just poken , without equ lling fo r them but he I S peerless his marquetry . The art of m aking p aintings with pieces of wood a had a a chosen for their v rious colours , it ppe red , no advance to make after the epoch of Louis XV ; and R a a yet oentgen m n ged to give to his persons , e a a mblems or flowers , sh dows much more s tisfy 14 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E ing than those that were obt ained by burning or a engraving the wood . He used exceedingly sm ll ar a a a a pieces of d ker woods dmir bly rr nged , some what in the m anner of the small stone mos aics of a a a Florence , which g ve to his m rquetry quite novel depth an d vividness . The decorations of his p anels were most often composed of a subject a and of flowers , boldly tre ted only occupying the a a - centre of the exp nse of s tin wood , on which o a they st o o d u t strongly . They were ccompanied b a o a a a y the tr diti n l ribbons, but tre ted in sufh cie nt ly personal and original way; sometimes stretched out in lozenges to m ake a frame ; some a t times c relessly knotted , they hrew their ends boldly across the b ackground again they fastened ’ a a s a a a roses , nemones , lilies , n rcis i , to B cch nte s

s a . thyrsu , termin ting in its fir cone As the reign of Louis XVI draws near its c at astrophe the t aste for the antique becomes e a and S a and more x cting pre ds more more . C - Go u ffi e r a a C a hoiseul , the Amb ss dor to onst nti no le and a a E a p tr veller in the st , publishes the first volume of his Gr ece P itto re s qu e . The a a a a a a Prési It li n te Germ n, Jo chim Winckelm nn, é R a a at dent des Antiquit s in ome, Libr ri n the ’ ’ ’ a a f i zs to ire a e t A rt chez les V tic n , writes his A n cie ns an a 1 8 1 R e xi o ns s u , tr sl ted in 7 , his éfl r ’ ’ l ini ita tio n a es o u vrages g re cs d a ns la pe intu re c i la s c u l tu re and p , other works , whose Influence in France is almost as great as that of the co lle c a a a tions of engr vings by the two Veneti ns , Pir nesi a and a a the f ther Pir nesi the son, who engr ve with

1 6 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a a i forgotten indeed , once so gre tly dm red, though f a for very dif erent re sons , by the poets of the a e a e Plei de , th n by the gre t sixteenth c ntury was a classicists . Now it verit bly to be dis a a in a and covered new, especi lly its rtistic , so to s a a a . was a pe k, pl stic be uty This the spect by it charmed the sentiment al e pI cure ans of the end of the century . Almost everywhere storytellers and poets strove to evoke before t he eyes of their rea ders groups at the same time and a sculpturesque emotion l, visibly inspired by -R a art P a u l e t Vir in ie Greco om n —; g is full of s u ets d e e nd u le the es for ornamenta c oc s —j p m l l k in the purest style of late Louis XVI o r t he E t he a s mpire . But most perfect ex mple of thi ne o - a a a a n eO- a e Alex ndri n r ther th n Attic liter tur , a l a a a a a n ittle sug ry, trifle m nnered, fter the m n er o f Clo dio n Ca a are a or nov , the ntique poems of Andre Chénier le e u ne M a la d e la e u ne , j , j ’

tine l A ve u le . E a C a au , g ven the gre t h te bri and himself will yet offer s acrifice many a time hi a A ta la and les M a rt r s to t s t ste in in y e . a a n The same pplies to p inti g . Long before t he Revolution broke out David had acquired a a Oa th o th his icy, rigid , gr nd m nner ; the f e H o ra tii a 1 8 , exhibited in the S lon of 7 5, four ar a B e lis a rius a as ye s fter his , m rked him out the chief of the French school . Henceforth ne w as de S o t ic an d a this Le Brun, p n rrow in idea as a a the other, l ys upon the unfortun te French painters the brut al injunction to copy antiquity ” raw . a al 1 8 in the In this s me S on of 7 5, which E M P I R E S T Y L E 1 7 is a ivo t al a h w as d te , t ere nothing else but ’ Ige vo t io n Al a R the of cestis , Pri m s eturn with r M a Scae vo las u the Body of Hecto , uci s b rning a and ra their h nds , other illust tions of Homer or Livy . In monumental architecture the Greek tri M 18 a a a . umphs , even the rch ic Greek uch t lked a bout the temples of Se linu s an d Paestum and ” a a the P estum Style , in other words , the he viest of primitive Doric has its fanatical devotees . Who u ? co ld believe it It is not under a a N poleon the First , but bsolutely beginning from 1780 that the gloomy convent of the ’ Capucins d Ant in was built (now the Lyc ée r s a a Condorcet) . Private architectu e wa n tur lly less offensive l n an achronism ; but the H o tel de Salm (the Palace of the Legion of Honour) was constructed by R ousseau in a style that was a a fo r a a lre dy different , ex mple, from th t of B agatelle ; it was almost the E mpire Style . And ’ as a o d Osmo nt much might be s id for the H tel , R u e a d u R a t o in the B sse emp r , of the H tel de ’ R u e l Arcade and Soubise , in the de , other works lle ri r n ni r Ce e B ro a t C a r . of , g or h lg in Intern al decoration was changing at the s ame time . The boudoir of M arie Antoinette a t Fontaineble au already has the little octagonal ' ’ a ca m a z e u x a a p nels , with , the Greek p lm le f ' r a r z n ce a u x o n ments , the slender out of which the characteristics of the Di rectoire Style a re

a . a n M f shioned The little m nsio of pretty lle . ’ d H ervie u x R u e C a e in the h nt reine, which 1 8 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

B ro n niart had at g built the beginning of the reign , then passed for the last word of the most refined “ ” lu xury ; the belle impure has it newly de co rat e d R a from top to bottom in the om n Style . ’ And the sleeping chamber of the Comte d Art o is “ M a as represents the tent of the God rs , if Pe rcier and Fontaine had alre ady arrived M any of the pieces belonging to the la st years of the reign depart from the pure Louis XVI a and a type . On the one h nd , this is especi lly r a true of the most luxu ious pieces , t bles or a a a a a commodes of st te me nt for the roy l p rtments , a striking resemblance can be found to the decor ative spaciousness of the Louis XIV Style . That is quite natur al ; the principle (borrowed from a m o tz s a a t decor tive f in ncient rchi ecture , but without copying the general Greek or R oman a a a a forms) is in the m in the s me century e rlier . Wa a - a a 1 8 a hen c binet m ker, round bout 7 5, fe rs “ ” a a and to s crifice to the Gr ces overmuch , proposes to make pieces that shall be at the a and and ma e st 1c m a s me time rich severe l , a a word, roy l, he inevit bly meets his predecessors of the end of the seventeenth century . There are at Font ainebleau and at Versailles certain - a ta l a clock st nds of gilt wood, cer in conso e t bles a o ne th t , if one did not know their true history, a a R o i- might f ncy were m de for the Soleil , although they were in reality made for Louis at XVI . Besides , this period, the Louis XIV Style was frankly copied ; the cabinet - makers M a r e had t ontigny, Lev sseu , S verin , for heir G U I L L A U M E B E N E M A N 1 9 s pe cial line the copying or imit ation of the sum t u o u s pieces of Andre- Charles Boulle in inlay

e go n and a . of y, shell, met ls From these new characteristics we will be able a am a - a to distinguish nother f ily of c binet m kers , as f R ie se ne r and Ca as u dif erent from rlin Lele , S aunier or Avril ; their chief will incontestably a B e ne man be Guill ume , who is represented in at a a and a a the Louvre, Font ineble u, in the W ll ce C a ollection, by commodes or under cupbo rds of a are a a truly monument l kind . They m de of a a a an d m hog ny decor ted with bronzes , not in a t a m rquetry, but hey m ke one think of the best a works of Boulle by the gr ndeur of their style . The ornament al part of their facade is nearly a a a a a a a a a lw ys gre t elliptic l rch, sh ped like b sket a a and h ndle , which t kes up the whole width a a ar a a li enfr mes trophy of ms , med l on in biscuit ' ware flanked by r z n ce a u x ; the corner uprights are C r a a a a o inthi n pil sters , or she ves of l nces, ’ and t - a a the feet oupie sh ped or lions p ws . The celebrated jewel cupbo ard of M arie An Schwe rdfe e r toinette , by g , with its polychrome a a a r and orn ment tion , somewh t ove done , its legs a a a in termin ting somewh t me nly, is decidedly ’ fe rio r bot h to the m aker s reputation an d to the B e ne n work of m a . t a O her pieces belonging to this period , inste d a l t he t o f XI V ra a of rec l ing s yle Louis , he ld th t of the R evo lut i o n a nd the E mpire ; o ne m ay a even s y that t hey belong to it alre ady. Cert ain t ables h ave legs in the form of te rmini whose 2 0 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

’ top p art is a sphinx s head ; others are carried o a r a by th se biz r e legs , copied from cert in ’ ' a as z e a s d c bz c/z c Pompeii n tripods , known p ” a a and o a surmounted by c ry tides , sh wing pl inly to what extent this generation lacked anycritic al a E a sense in its dmiration for antiquity . qu lly dis a a as are ple sing to the re son to the eye , they com pounded of two parts treated on a tot ally different ’ a a a a sc le ; deer s leg , the h unch orn mented with ' a a a r zn cea u x hum n he d surrounded with , is a a and - a cut cle n cross , this cross section supports t a S a a lit le se ted phinx, which itself c rries on its he d and its uplifted wings the frame of the t able . The collections of the designers of furniture are full of these purely antique models from 1 8 a a before 7 9 ; those of L londe , for inst nce , of

Du o urc . R a g , of Aubert Besides the om n a a and tripods , we see in them se ts with roll b cks a a ca t/ wei rd legs curving outw rds like those of , and X- shap e dgst o o ls that are precisely cur u le a - a chairs . The c binet m ker in whom the work of these innovators is summed up is Ada m a a b wa Weisweiler , who m kes gre t use , y y of l a a a a an d a supports, of e eg nt met l c ry tides , m kes ' ” a t/z ém cn nes u a a in the Herc l ne n Style , while at a a a the s me time dmitting str nge compromises , as in this ebony commode in which he ha s com bine d a a a pediment turned upside down, croteri , and p alm le af ornaments come down in direct r a a u a line f om Greci n tomb, with wonderf l p nels a o a of old J panese black and g ld l cquer . E was To sum up , the mpire Style formed N W E I D E A S 2 1 u as wa s nder Louis XVI , the Louis XVI Style and formed under Louis XV, the Louis XV Style under Louis XIV and the R egency ; the nomen clat u re of our styles invari ably lags behind their chronology .

R a The evolution then did not , even in P ris , bring a r apid change in the fashion of o ur ’ a as ncestors furnishing, It could not be , the a a Goncourt brothers ccused it of being , the c use of a movement that had begun several years earlier ; but it helped that movement and a w a a was h stened it in every y, bec use it going precisely in the direction that was necess ary to a a R a a s tisfy the t stes of the evolution ry gener tion , which enthusiastically admired the ancient and a a a republics , which ffected severe usterity in the manner of Lycurgus and Cato . C From the time of the onstituent Assembly, new ide as sweep over decoration and furniture as a art E over every dep rtment of . veryone a and m kes Greek pieces , more more Greek ; but at the s ame time pieces that are still altogether Louis XVI are loaded with revolution ary emblems

. and a a (Figs 4 A cert in Sieur Boucher , ” a a merch nt upholsterer , well known, ccording to a his own modest st tement , for the purity of his ” a a o f a 1 0 t ste in m tters furnishing , dvertises in 79 , o u rn a l d e la M o de e t d a Go u t o u in the j , A m us e me nts d a a lo n e t d e la To ile tte a S , th t he has just enriched his emporium with various articles in h armony with the circumst ances of the 2 2 L O U I S ' XV I F U R N I T U R E ” “ da . are fo r a a tr io tic be ds y These , ex mple , p with the symbols of liberty ; in place of plumes are o n a an there bonnets the end of she ves of l ces , which form the bed posts ; they represent the triumphal arch erected on the Champ de M ars ” da r r on the y of the Feder ation . E ve ywhe e a diso rde d t aste for allegories runs wild : it is nothing but fasces (strength as the result of u nion) Phrygian c aps (Liberty recovered) ; spirit levels (equali ty) ; pikes (the freedom of m an) ; o aken boughs (social virtues) ; triangles with an eye in the middle (re ason) ; cla sped a l a a aw . h nds (fr ternity) t bles of the , etc , without ” counting the C aptures o f the B astille carved a a on so m ny cupbo rds (Fig , But people tire quickly enough of these r ar 1 - 1 r emblems . Th ee ye s go by ( 79 2 795) du ing r a r which the French indust y, which l tely tu ned out luxurio us furniture fo r the whole of E urope (in 1789 it exported to the value of four million a a a o livres) , is reduced by re son of the soci l g ny, w ar and the foreign , the insurrection in the west , n o a to a alm st complete st ndstill . This is the moment when the goldsmith Odio t shuts his shO an d fastens up on the doo r the fo llowing p “ a a not i ce . Pl ced in the s fe keeping of the as a t he ar public , the he d of this house is in my o f n fighting against the enemies his cou try . The few pi eces n o w tu rned o u t by t he F aubourg a - o and all t t at r a S int Ant ine , hose h will he e fter — be turned out whilst the provincial workshops go on m aking Louis XVI without wavering

24 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E w a a xa ith ntique orn ments, but copied e ctly from those that the excavations of Pompeii have a a brought to light , or th t h ve been disclosed to us a a and has- are a from ncient v ses reliefs , s nctioned a fi a by f shion ; still better , this is the of ci l style R and a 1t a of the epublic, to dopt is to displ y a civic virtue , just like giving up we ring breeches and a n a powder , like we ri g the tricolour cock de , a l a a - a a as like c l ing your son Asty n x Sc evol , the a a a did p inter Je n Bosio actually did . D vid more than anyone else to impose this new style he had a power to do it , being the import nt person was a he under the Terror . The ntique pieces in his has a all studio, which he brought into ne rly a a a his historic l pictures , were so celebr ted th t e a had they deserv brief mention . They been a e 1 8 1 0 a m d , in 7 9 or 79 , by old Georges J cob , t he a a a he d of the dyn sty, from designs by D vid e himself and by his pupil M oreau . They wer a a a a a arm- a w m hog ny ch irs , kind of l rge ch ir ith an all a a a a 1n a a a m hog ny b ck , very singul r ppe r nce , as a and a round tower orn mented with bronzes , ’ a curule chair whose Xes ended in lions heads ’ and lions p aws and that day-bed of the purest hi a lines , on w ch the p inter stretched out the a ch rming person of M adame R ec amier . These chairs were furnished with cushions and draperies in red woollen stuff with p alm designs l n black D avid had n aively reproduced in them the colours of Greek vases of red e arthenware with a bl ck figures , from which , when designing them, a a he h d t ken his inspir ation . S U P P R E S S I O N OF G U I LD S 2 5 It was D avid too who had the order for the furniture for the Convention given to Georges a and a and r J cob two young rchitects designe s , and a a then quite unknown very poor, lre dy a and a f a w as p rtners for life , for whom this f ir the beginning of fortune : Pierre Font aine and C a B a h rles ercier . Soon fter the production of r a r this furnitu e Georges J cob retired f om business , leaving the m anagement of the huge workshop in R u e M a M e slée the esl y , or , to his sons , the third a ré was one of whom , Fr ncois Hono , destined, a a De sm alt e r under the n me of J cob , to eclipse the others an d become the king of c abinet - makers a in the Imperi l epoch . s a a h all The Guild , m sterships, w rdens ips were , as i s R well known , suppressed by the evolution . From the soci al poi nt of view this was n u a a doubtedly point of progress , from the technic l a a a point of view lso , perh ps , in cert in industries that heretofore had been matters of routine ; but a cert inly not from the artistic point of view. To suppress all this Strict body of rules and regula tions governing the ancient trade corpor ations was a a to suppress their tr ditions , the c reful, a craft s m e ii and a thorough tr ining of the , cert in o a ad rules of pr fessional honour . M ar t himself h ’ ’ “ expressed fears in the A m t a u P e up le : With a a all a this doing w y of noviti te , the workers no o a an r l a t an d n l nger t ke yt oub e bout solidi y fi ish , r do a o ff . wo k is rushed , d shed I not know am a bu t u whether I mist ken or not , I sho ld not be surprised if in twenty ye ars time it will be 2 6 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E impossible to find a single workman l n P aris who ” knows how to m ake a hat or a pair shoes . ’ M arat s fears were excessive with regard to hats and shoes but it is cert ain that artistic indust ries as r - a a such fu niture m king st rted to decline , i r beg nning with this eform, except for the r d e lu xe a magnifi—cent fu niture m de under the E mpire and 1n anycase m ade by workmen who had been tr ained an d fashioned 1n the ancient corporations . Another re ason for this dec adence is the change o f a n in the clz e n te le c binet makers a d joiners . As soo n as the Terror was over the various in d u st rie s r returned to life , orde s flowed into the re -0 and r a pened worksho s , if it is t ue th t the ’ p Directoire Style either scarcely exists at all or actually existed earlier than the government of r and was the Directo s destined to outlive it , it is also most true th at the greater p art of the pieces that are grouped under this description were a a 1 a r m de fter 79 5, bec use du ing the preceding a n ad a all t years h rdly a yh been made t . B u the 1s a lu to cra c and as a all Directoire p y, ne rly the old had a a a rs fortunes been swept w y, this plutocr cy / o are a regime of n o u ve a u x r te res . S me the “ ” “ a o e a n ntis , the c rrupt d of the politic l r a r r and a a a o wo ld , dmi e s imit tors of B rr s ; thers h ave speculated in a rmy supplies ; the most have grown rich by buying t he g o ods of the n atio n for a all are a o a song ; p rvenus with ut t ste , without a wh o a as a a s tr ditions , me n to enjoy r pidly pos s e a a ma a and a ibl fortune th t ybe fr gile , m ke the T H E N O U V E A U X R I C H E S 2 7

a utmost possible displ y of it . But they do not n art o f S o a a a k ow the pending r y lly, like gr nd o r r é é a o f o ld seigneur fe mier g n r l the time, who set a high value upon fine thi ngs ; they bargain and are stingy in giving their orders ; for them and a work must be done quickly che p , with economy both in m aterial and workmanship . Hence the general meanness of furniture during

a a o f . the l st ye rs the century They might , those a u a a an d nouve x riches , h ve cquired , could still a a a o f a s s z n a ts a cquire for she f lg , the m sterpieces R ie se ne r an d Oé be n of , but they prefer to sur a ma round themselves with br n new pieces , de e expressly for th m, for which we should be s wrong to blame them . It is only just to ayit these articles of furniture and objec ts of taste — a a L a M ésan ére th t is the n me g , the director ourna l def M odes e t des Da mes of the ff , gives , in his a r u mous collection of models , to the u nit re in f — f fashion at the time were much sought after a a and a bro d , beg n once more to be exported in spite of the wars waged by the Republic against so many coalitions . The imit ation of the antique w as more th an law M ever the supreme ; we know th—e erveilleuses all had the ambition to be clothed o r unclothed - a and was a a like S ppho , it bout this time th t M adame Vigée -Lebrun gave the memorable So u ve n irs at dinner described in her , which the r r a guests we e c owned with roses , dr ped in the a a o ntique f shion , reclining on c uches on their ” e and at e a a a n lbows , Sp rt n bl ck broth , dri king 2 8 LO U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E “ o ut E a and of trusc n goblets singing, to the a a a a us ccomp niment of lyre , hymns to B cch punctuated with cries of E voe The most celebrated interior of the las t years of the R epublic was t he one that M adame R ecamier had had decorated an d furnished by t he a a a f shion ble upholsterer Berth ud, under the i r u a Pe rc e a and B e llan é . g id nce of , Font ine g The s a was all a a leeping ch mber in m hog ny, from the a a o a o pil sters on the w lls , the d or c ses , the do rs , down to the sm allest article of furnitur e ; all this severe red- brown w as relieved by some inlay of citron wood and sil ver fillets ; for hangings red and a a a a velvet , on the ch irs Be uv is t pestry with flowers and fruits of brilliant co ours on a deep — l brown ground the famous E trusc an fashion ! a a Furthermore , rchitr ves of polished violet a a a m o ti s r a a a a gr nite , rchitectur l f in o ient l l b ster ; u a a and a a c rt ins of ch mois, violet bl ck, dr ped in a t he mo st complicated f shion . Such were the colours in vogue . There was much talk too of the little m ansion a a a had Gener l Buon p rte bought , on his return

a a a a a . from the c mp ign in It ly, from T lm It as R u e C a a w in the h ntereine , which then bec me

” R u e la ; u as be the de Victoire The f rniture, a an d R v was fitted the conqueror of Arcol i oli , nothing but symbols of war and victory ; for a arm- a a and se ts , ch irs of ebony inl id with silver, s a r tools th t were drums, with thei cords stretched round a b arrel of yellow hide ; a mahog any ’ “ commode with lions heads ; a bed painted A LL E G O R I C A L F U R N I T U R E 2 9 a n a a a ntique bro ze bure u , the bronze orn ments R on which were oman glaives . E a a a a n After the gypti n c mp ign , in which ki d of archz o lo gic al st aff duplicated the military st afi a a of the hero , there could not f il to come

E t o mania . and w as fit of gyp It did come , it a a -De no n t he a a a then th t Viv nt , one of s v nts th t had a ae followed the expedition , both rch ologist and a at a 1 had a dr rchitect the s me time , be oom a De smalt e r s fitted up by J cob to his own design , which aimed at being of the purest Pharaonic a a a style . The bed , of m hog ny inl id with silver , had three faces ornamented wit h baS- reliefs of rows of kneeling figures ; its head was decorated with a

a and ae . c rved Isis , the legs with the Ur us symbol Numerous E gyptian pi eces will presently figure in Percie r n the collection of designs by a d Fontaine . All this w as in argu able t aste but what 18 to be s aid of so much other allegorical furniture that passed at this time for the latest word in art 3 “ Fo r a warrior who seeks recreation and relax a a a e tion between two c mp igns , from the nobl s a 18 a a a work of Bellon , here bedroom th t is ’ s a are oldier s tent , whose h ngings held up by are a pikes ; everywhere hung trophies of we pons , a and S t he gl ives hields the posts of couch, which a a a are s urmo uil t e d is in the sh pe of c mp bed, by the helmets of Greek hoplites . “ ” “ A disciple of Act ae on (for this re ad a great hunter has his chamber transformed into a a a temple of Dia n . The ceiling h s two slope d T e endome lumn is i h V Co h s wo rk. 3 0 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a rs sides , like the roof of Greek temple ; the bed r a a a o r unde c nopy with pediment , upheld on f u

. r a a slender columns For o n ments , bust of ’ Diana flanked by t wo st ags heads at the pe ak of a the pediment ; dogs , bows, rrows , etc . Behind a a a bas - a a and the bed , on the b ck w ll, relief, Di n

E ndymion . In the foreground two termini an d h a representing Silence Nig t , one with finger on his lips and holding a cornucopi a full of o ar a r oppies , the ther be ing torch . The oof p‘ a a a ppe rs to be upborne on open pill rs , which ’ ’ “ a r t o in a llow the beholde perceive , p inting , the verd ure of the trees among which it is supposed ” has this little temple been erected . And this ll Pe rcier nd o n i too is sti a F t a ne . a a a a a ae a After these extr v g nces , h lf rch ologic l a E r h lf symbolic , the mpire Style , prope ly so a S a c lled , will be, in pite of its persistent ped ntry, a a a an re l return to re son d simplicity .

1 8th u ai a On the Br m re , in the ye r VIII , Fr ance gives herself to her hero . It is not yet E as far as a art e the mpire , but , the dom in of go s , the reign of Napoleon begins . The First Consul a at a f a E a dre ms once of pe ce, of ers pe ce to ngl nd, “ a . We speaks of nothing but the works of pe ce ” la a a - a and must y side our j ck boots , he s ys , a a think of commerce, encour ge the rts , give ” prosperity to our country . One of his first cares I s to re -est ablish French luxury and re fine o r a a a ment in its gl ious tr ditions , to rem ke a a a court little by little . He wishes to h ve p l ces ,

3 2 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E fe cts E art a a of mpire , coldness , ridness , continu l a a are . n chronisms , not to be imputed to them It would h ave had those faults without them (for it had them already) even if they had not been the whole -hearted a dmirers of the Ancients a a S t which they lw ys howed themselves . On he a a other h nd , they were rchitects in their souls , and their architectural qualities they gave to all their project s o f dec o ration and furnishing ; they had a a a a and lofty im gin tion , gr ndeur simplicity a d and of t ste, they understoo their epoch the Napoleonic regime to a h air ; their conception ma a a ydisple se us , or chill us , but we c nnot deny that it was admirably apprOpriat e to its destined n an a a ? use . Ca y pr ise be gre ter Can there be conceived for this epoch , when a a a r a n tion l pride str ightened eve y fr me , when warlike enthusiasm hovere d in t he air and swelled fla r every bosom , when glory in med eve y youthful a was an d r br in , when every will stiff p oud , when milit ary despotism was imposed upon the nation c an v by virtue of its conquests , there be concei ed other furniture or another style of decoration a a a r a th n those on which , upon bro d ustere su f ces , ar a and a m ked out by str ight lines sh rp edges , ’ there were hung swords and t riumphing p alms a and r were displ yed , golden Victories postu ed with widespread wings ? It is because they profoundly felt this fitness an d harmony that P rcie r and a r r e Font ine were g eat a tists . a a r a This style , so highly ppropri te to Impe i l ra was F nce, nevertheless , in spite of the slow A N A R T I F I C I A L S T Y L E 3 3

a a a el bor tion we h ve described , not in the pure n ation al t radition ; it w as not Sprung spon t ane o u slyfrom our own soil and under o ur own had a a and a a skies ; it something bstr ct rbitr ry , something imposed on our t aste as the regime

w as a . itself imposed on the n tion In short , there have been styles that are far more truly a a French . There is contr diction here , someone

s a a a a . will y. It is in ppe r nce only The truth is that France was then at a quite exceptional moment in her long existence . The fever of conquest that had come a fter the revolution ary fever had broken the equilibrium of her tempera ment ; She w as beside herself a t this moment when her history seems to be pure legend . The E mpire Style w as very exactly befitting for a as was 1 8 00 1 8 1 Fr nce she from to 5, but to a a a ra th t Fr nce only, not the etern l F nce . When it found favour once more with artists and 18 0 and 1 8 was public , between 9 95, it , let us

a a a . confess it , quite rtifici l movement Wh at clearly shows that this sty e 18 something — l intern ation al in any c ase the imitat i on of antiquity from which it proceeded w as by no an a n Ca a me s speci lly Fre ch ; think of nov , K a a a a and . Thorw ldsen , Angelic ufm nn , other is the enthusiasm with which it was adopted at all a r once by n tions , whether they we e subjected ’ a o a r a to N p leon s domin tion or not . Neve perh ps had a ar French decor tive t such exp ansive force . Jacob De sm alt e r (almost always following the models of Perc ie r and Font aine) furnished no t 34 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

M a a Co m 1e ne a C only lm ison , p g , S int loud , Fon t aine ble au E e re cko nih , the lys e , without g so a a a a a m ny priv te m nsions in P ris , but lso the E a a Ca and scuri l, Ar njuez, Windsor stle , countless a a and a M a p l ces m nsions in Antwerp , yence ,

o a and as far as Pe t ro ad . P tsd m , even g But when this Species of exalt ation subsided a and E w as in Fr nce , the mpire succeeded by the R a a a a estor tion , th t roy lty devoid of glory, th t a a a and pe ceful, bourgeois , somewh t fl t dull period a was a and of our history, the dec dence immedi te profound ; the E mpire Style was preserved in a a ha a a a a h p z rd f shion , for w nt of knowing wh t to a at a put in its pl ce , but the s me time its character w as changed in the direction of heaviness and fi abbiness ; it degener ated very a was a speedily, bec use there no longer h rmony between it and the manners of the time . SE CON D PAR T T H E LOUIS XVI FUR N IT UR E

CHAPT E R ON E : CHAR ACTE R I ST I C S AN D T E CHN IQUE OF T H E LOUIS XV I ST Y LE T 1111 least instructed eye can tell at the first glance a Louis XVI piece from a Louis XV ; and yet there is no essential or fundament al difference such as there is between the style of and a Louis XV that of Louis XIV . It is bec use m anners and customs are at bottom the same a 1 60 as a a and a fter 7 before th t d te , will rem in a 1 8 a a a the s me until 7 9 now, only tr nsform tion in manners and customs c an bring about a a r adical ch ange in furniture fashions . We h ve determined the approximate date when the new Style replaced the old ; at this date Louis XV and a e is still on the throne , in s ite of his g M d a his ways h ave not altered . adame u B rry M a a a and is succeeds d me de Pomp dour , it merely one degree more of ab asement . It is for a a C du a this L nge wom n , become omtesse B rry, that the pavilion of Louveciennes w as built and a a a furnished ; th t v nished m rvel which , without an was a ydoubt , the most exquisite m sterpiece of a a and the Louis XVI Style . The ristocr cy the wealthy bourgeoisie are always the same in the u a a and ro nd , equ lly e ger for the life of society a r a a for ple su e , equ lly denuded of mor l sense ; a a a but if they t ke good c re not to pr ctise virtue , 37 3 8 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

as and R a a a just Diderot ousse u did, they h ve f llen

to adoring it with emotion in other people . Th at senile blasé society had its living allegory in old M arquise du Deffand by dint of adve n a r a a s e nt with tures , s ti ic l convers tions , wit p g a and heedless prodig lity, by dint of scepticism , of a r t had a h ving been through eve y hing , she f llen a a was a into st te of profound ennui , which genuine m alady an d one that she believed to be a and 10 ! at a a incur ble ; seventy ye rs or ne r it , She w as a a a seized with p ssion, one of those p ssions a a s o f a an a th t t ke complete posse sion soul , bsurd and a ra a touching p ssion for Ho ce W lpole , whom , as She w as She had . blind, never seen Like had her , eighteenth century society its senti

a fi t a a . ment l , , r ther l te in life The virtue , the sensibility (they are the s ame things in the minds of the people of this epoch) , the simplicity “ ” of the ancient days and n atural men are all

a a a . the f shion , but merely f shion Women of quality continue to go every night to the Oper a é a C and a e xt rava or the new Op r omique , in wh t gant arr ay ! but the pieces they listen to are ’ a le B o n F ils le B o n Se i n e u r l A m o u r c lled , g , P a te rna l la Su iva nte r e co n n a is s a n te and , or , are s as a a if they young mother , they h ve re d E m ile a a , they h ve their b bies brought to them during the in terval an d suckle them in their box in such a w ay as to be in full view while a r a doing so . Phil nth opy is novelty which a and ff becomes the r ge , on every chi onier the M e rcu re d e F ra n ce meets with the A n na les

40 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a a a a comfort , intim cy, tt ching gr ce , the most e a xquisite refinement , which m rked the highest an d the middle classes in French society of the and a time , with the noble simple be uty of R S a a . a ntiquity efined implicity, sober eleg nce, a and a a ne tness precision , softened by bund nt a a i gr ce ; such is the ide l , Antiqu ty will then be interpreted and made French as in the noble a R a a and archmlo I s d ys of the en iss nce, when gy Wa 18 a and a in conflict ith wh t comfort ble ple sing , so much the worse for archmo lo gy it must needs a give w y.

In fine , in spite of the progress in the science a S a of ntiquity, in pite of exhumed Pompeii , wh t was best known in ancient art about 1760 was R a R oman architecture . Accordingly it is om n architecture that gives the tone to the new style . Furniture falls again under the yoke of archit e c had a o ff ture , which it sh ken , for the first time and for a little while during the reign of t he grotto . “ are a a a s There , s id Del croix, cert in line a are : a u a th t , monsters the str ight line , the reg l r ” a all a a . serpentine , bove two p r llel lines These monsters are henceforth and for a long time to R a a a rule in furniture . om n rchitecture , in f ct , is primarily a family of lines ; the straight line and - a a a a a the semi circul r rch , the horizont l p r llels a a a a and of cornices , the vertic l p r llels of pil sters flut in s a a sa their g ; right ngles too ; th t is to y, the negation of all sinuous lines ike those o — l f n ature if indeed there be any lines in nature G E O M E T R Y I N D E S I G N 4 1 the sweet living lines that the Louis XV Style had a pl ced everywhere for the delight of our eyes . Henceforth commodes no longer fear to look “ a a like box perched up on four l ths , except those th at link their facade with the wall against which they st and by two little quarter-cylindric al a a a cupbo rds , or by shelves sh ped to qu rter circles full or re - entrant ; except again those that will ’ ret ain supports slightly tending to p ie d a o bielz e a a r sh pe under their ch mfe ed angles . This kind continued to be made up till towards the end of the style . Q a a - a a u ntities of rches , semi circul r or elliptic l,

a r . on top of p nels of woodwo k (Fig mirrors ,

a a . 8 0 ch ir b cks (Figs 4 , 5 , numbers of ellipses

a a a . 2 a lso ; fr mes of p nels (Fig ) upon w lls , borders and a - a a for mirrors pictures , med llion sh ped ch ir a 1 a a and a b cks (Figs . 4 , t bles l rge sm ll , a 1 a console t bles (Figs . 3 , folding t bles , com

a . are modes , even rmoires (Fig 5) very frequently - a a . im semi circul r in ground pl n In short , the personal traced with ruler and square and compass a a a r a const ntly t kes the pl ce of f eeh nd designs , the an d - fancy of the crayon the graving tool . All has a a this geometry m it something bstr ct , some thing purely rational calculated to please m athe ’ mat ical a d Ale mbe rt in minds , like th t of , for ’ a o r Co n dillac s a st nce , ; but it would be very rid if it w as not almost always mitigated by the more o n a M a living grace of the r ments . ny Louis XVI pieces follow this principle of the straight line to and a the very end, do not comprise single curve 42 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E d . 2 0 2 6 a a an (Figs , , The excess of bstr ction dryness cannot then be denied . On the other a h nd, this uncompromising rigidness , these joins a are all a at a a a th t m de right ngles , s tisfy the re son by defining with complete and perfect distinctness a every p rt of the piece , by respecting to the a an d utmost the gr in of the wood, by giving the a joints the m ximum of solidity and strength . No all doubt , but how cold it is An cient architecture brought back also absolute symmetry in form and in orna ment ; never more ff a a do designers o end, except for insignific nt det ils a a a of decor tion (flowers , ribbons , g inst the venerable rule of the identity of the corre 3 ponding p arts to the right and to the left of a centre line . a a Another principle, rchitectur l in its origin ; a a a the definition of surf ce , devoid of orn ment , by a border or several parallel borders t aking the a a a pl ce of orn ment tion . Numbers of pieces

a a n . 6 1 2 1 a h ve no other decor tio (Figs , 7 , ) l rge bare surfaces are in high favou r ; the sublime ” and as a virtuous nudity of the Greeks , D vid a a a and a s as s id, exists for m hog ny stone well for the human body ; and when that mahogany is of a a a a very h ndsome qu lity, veined , figured, with a a a a e wa w rm p tin from g , nothing more by y of a ornament ation need be desired . These fr mings are a n gener lly mouldi gs in gilt bronze , or covered a i a at a with br ss ; somet mes , especi lly the l tter are a a end of the epoch , they simple b nds of br ss

embedded in the wood (Fig . 3 When the g S I M P L E X M U N D I T I I S 43

a a are o f piece cont ins no br ss , they thin strips a a a a wood , the colour of which st nds out g inst th t of the b ackground . a a As for the sh pe of the p nels thus defined, they are a a a a a squ res , rect ngles , rches ccomp nied by corner pieces of the s ame border or a tri angular r o s a ce a a a . of c nthus le f, ellipses , circles The rect angular p anels are often l p e d off at the a o ff a o ff and ngles , either rounded or squ red , this s Slope I S adorned with a small round r o a ce . One a ur a a and very f vo ite p nel lso , on commodes escritoires with fla ps (those made by Rie se ne r ar a I s a a p ticul rly) , tr pezium , the oblique sides of which are concave . The form of moulding is changed . There is a la now less th n on Louis XV pieces ; it is f tter , a a o a more ustere , more uniform ls ; in gener l it a a obeys the l ws of the ncient kinds ogee , a a a all a doucine , scoti , c vetto , pophysis , uto m at icall an a ff y combined, without yf nciful e ects , n a with fillets a d b guets . These elements are poor enough ; they do not a offer any very v aried resources to rtists . How is it then that so m any Louis XVI pieces give so full an impression of grace or beauty ? First of all are a a a s by their proportions , which ne rly lw y a exquisitely right , by the f ultless equilibrium a a a a of b l nced m sses, the h rmonious division a a a of surf ces , the import nce of the fr ming c alcul ated with exactitude according to that r of the p a ts enclosed by the frame . In these m atte rs t act has perh aps never been so sure as L O U I S X V I F U 'R N I T U R E in the epoch of Louis XVI . And then the orn ament ation c ame with the s ame sureness of t aste to add to a somewhat b are whole just what richness was needed within the limits of deliberate sobriety . The essential difference between the o rna ment ation of pieces belonging to the Louis XV period and that of Louis X VI pieces is that t he latter most frequently proceeds by way of repetition of similar elements arranged i n lines m a m i a or combined running o t f . This also 1s a legacy from ancient rchitecture . Such a decora c an a a a tion be m de , so to spe k , by the y rd, which facilitates to a distressing degree cheap a a a a a j ck imit tion , even m chine m de imit tion of Louis XVI pieces . Another char acteristic common to the majority of the ornaments of the Louis XVI Style is the a a are a a sm ll sc le on which they tre ted by c rvers , d an especially by the artists in bronze . It appe ars th at they never find their motives fi an d a ffi suf ciently finished delic te , su ciently em bellishe d w t h little details that serve to display n the cunning of their engravi g tool . A furniture ’ 13 a a bronze tre ted like piece of goldsmith s work, ’ n a a a d piece of goldsmith s work like gem . This a a a — a a a f ult , for it is f ult let us c ll it ffect tion a as has comes without doubt , been well observed, from the passion both men and women of the had fo r a a time sm ll rticles , the toys , brimborions as a as at t he they were c lled, such were bought a P etit D u nke r u e a f mous shop , the q ; little f ncy D E C O R A T I V E M O T I F S 45

x a a the bo es of gold , en melled or ch sed (with ” ’ ’ inscription D o n a A m i ti e friendship 3 gift a o a little boxes of p le tortoise shell, with g ld inl y é a a a i n a or piqu work , h ndles of w lking c nes p inted a a a s chin , co t buttons with mini tures, incense boxe - — of mother o f pe arl pierced and engraved . a an d - a e These thous nd one knick kn cks , whos tiny a a a has orn ment tion , m rvellous in its finish , a a a had a something J p nese bout it , ccustomed the eye to a singularly reduced sc ale of decora tion ; so much so that the superb amplitude of the Louis XIV an d Lo uis XV orna ments passed for a a SO hist i co rseness . Let us be quite fr nk ; for less p cat e d eyes a bronze by the great Go u t hiére cuts a sorry figure beside a bronze by Caffieri . The running ornaments most gener ally used ’ l ’ ’ 3 are a e n ticu les o a ro ns e ntre la es , g , , formed of two interlacing ribbons which very often enclose ‘ r o s a ces o ves a in their bows , succession of egg ’ a ra is a e co e u r a sh ped projections , , lines of sm ll ’ e u illes d e a u e u illes f , not indented , or f ’ d a ea ntlz e fret decoration on plain friezes ; “ r ince a ux to res bo u d ins ba o ak a , (or ) of yor le ves 7 ’ r u ba ns e nro u lés around b aguets ; ra ngs a e

Fig. 5. - ha a u 8 . Se e the c pe to p o f the arm c hair in Fig . 3 h e d rawe r o f the Framing o f the c upbo ard do o rs in Fig . 4; t es . c cri to ire (Fig e t . Co rni c e o f he cu bo ard t p (Fig . 5 u d T o p o f the c pbo a r (Fig . 0 x e d c r l a f he a e c u o Fi e nt a p rt o t s m pb ard (Fig . 7 T n he lo we ar o f h ce n he s ame (Fig. 4) o t r p t t e co rni fra mi g h e mo d o n t drawe rs o f the c o m e (Fig . 46 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

1 ’ p ia s tre s that ought rather to be c alled ra ngs a e s a e u es a a p q , for more th n nything else they Far E a resemble those coins current in the st , pierced in the middle an d strung on a rush tie ; i o n es or reeds fastened by an intertwined ribbon ; cotes bound byacanthus leaves ; clz ap le ts of olives ’ z and be ads alternating ; ra ngs a e p e rles ; and lastly the ornament far the most frequently all a a employed of, , bec use it is m de quickly and 3 easily with a gouge rows of short ca nne lu re s flu t in s a and or g covering friezes, tr verses string courses . a a m o ti s Among the other orn ment l f , the following are the principal that were borrowed a from ancient architecture . First nd foremost co lu m n a e n the , det ched, or more frequently a at a and g ged, the ngles of commodes , escritoires , ‘ ff . a a chi oniers The b se is turned, the sh ft a gener lly fluted . It is well known how gre at 5 use this style made of ca n n elu re s which were a a c lled r ther ca na ux . Sometimes they were ’ ’ a s r u a e nte a sa a pl in , ometimes , th t is to y, e ch one filled to a cert ain dist ance from the base with a baguet if the filling is plain it is given the name ’ 6 n a cha n a e lle a d . a m o ti of , if it ends in c rved f i a a o r a a l ke h lf opened bud he d of corn, it is as s r are a known a p e ge . Very much used imit 8 fi ut in s a a tion g of m rquetry with burnt sh ding ,

1 - B c f h arm co ns o le s s . 0 and a k o t e arm chair (Fig . (Fig 4 47) 2 Se e the c u bo ard . . p , Fig 7 3 s . 20 26 28 e tc . s . 1 2 . Fig , , , Fig 4, 5 5 6 s 6 I 2 e tc . s . 8 0 e tc . Fig . , 4, 5, Fig 4 , 5 , 7 8 s . 2 . . 1 . Fig 9, 47 Fig 5

48 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E It would be too long to describe all thes e a a a a ntique orn ments ; let us merely c ll ttention , l a a R a a in the nim l kingdom , to the om n e gles , 2 a a a the dolphins , the he ds of lions , r ms , go ts , the ! ’ ’ ’ bu cra nes ie a s a e biclz e , or bull s skulls , the p ’ an a a a and ( ex ct reproduction of the nim l s leg , no as a far-o ff a longer , under Louis XVI , interpret tion) ; then the whole series of mythological S a and a monsters , phinxes , m le fem le , griffons , ae a a r chim r s , sirens ; then in the veget ble wo ld , ’ ’ “ garlands and cli u tes a o g u irla n a es of every ‘ n a ba r in ce a u x ki d , wre ths of ivy, y, flowers , of “5 a a a a a foli ge , especi lly of c nthus le f, which is so a a supple in d pting itself to every method of use , “ ” alone or combined in grotesques with the ’ a a a a a and hum n f ce or nim ls m sks , which this period has succeeded 111 making so elegant ; the 6 ’ m a a a a pine cone , the po egr n te , the B cch nte s

a . a a thyrsus , the c duceus L stly, objects m de 7 8 man : a by bows , quivers , ntique urns (which a a I curio de lers disrespectfully c ll soup tureens ) , a a a a g rl nded, dr ped, set up on top of l mbrequins

a . fire b lls , perfume burners , tripods , etc Cert ain things were borrowed also from the R a a as a en iss nce , such the vertic l string courses of

f h u a d T o p o t e c pbo r in Fig . 4.

o f the ch in . 8 Arm air Fig 3 .

Co mmo d e . c o ns o le s in s 1 and (Fig Fig . 3 33 . 4 Wo dwo r in s . 1 and 2 e tc . o k Fig , 5 Co ns o le . be r eres s . 1 a nd 2 (Fig g (Fig 5 5 , 6 6 . Fig . 7 7 2 Fig . . 8 s . e tc . Fig 3 , 7, 9, V O G U E OF M A H O G A N Y 49

a a a a i r besques , imit ted from those of Giov nn of a a a and Udine in the Loggi s of the V tic n , the a m a s ca r o ns a a a grotesque m sks or , h lf hum n h lf

a . a a m o t s are veget ble Fin lly, m ny of the if and and quite modern , common to the Louis XV a t Louis XVI styles ; b skets of flowers , of frui s , a a o ak br nches of l urel , or , or ivy, roses , lilies , a sc ttered, crossed, or hung from ribbons ; the 1 knots of ribbons so much used and abused by this epoch ; little profile medallions and all t he w ar a symbols ; of , music , the sciences , griculture a a the p stor l life , fishing, commerce lovers trophies hung from bows of ribbon ; draperies of fringed or t asselled stuff forming a frieze or a 2 cl mte .

a - a e Working c binet m kers , in the tim of had a Louis XV, c rried the perfection of their technique so far that there remained but little of an yimport ance to be discovered in this domain . C a a are t ert in of their technic l secrets even los , a M a like th t of the rtin lacquer . a are a The s me kinds of wood used , n tive woods and a all a a foreign ; bove m hog ny , which comes in a a a gre ter qu ntities from the Antilles , enjoys extr ’ a a M ar at ordin ry f vour . ie Antoinette s boudoir Font ainebleau is completely parqueted with it . a a are a Wh t is something new, ch irs m de of it ; it is used for the most p art in large surfaces of plain

e . E a as a v neer bony, r ther given up too ustere ,

s “Co Fi 2 Fig . 37 . 43, l 4 50 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

r a a unde Louis XV, now re ppe rs . The method a of working the wood does not lter , but the return to straight lines makes it possible to use c mu h more turning , for the legs of furniture , a and a and l for b lusters , pill rs ; the gui d of wood a turners becomes one with th t of the joiners . The preceding epoch had seen the appear ance of porcelain pl aques embedded in the p anels of a a and hi very el bor te costly pieces ; this trick, w ch a r an r and a is ssu edly er or in logic in t ste, becomes ra a a o n gene l in sm ll escritoires for l dies , r u d r a a a ardim e re s and r n b e kf st t bles , j , other ve y refi ed o o as e n a pieces , in prop rti n the S vres chi becomes nd more plentiful a more perfect . The little bas - reliefs of Wedgwood in biscuit ware on a blue ground begin to Show themselves beside the flo e re t s e w of S vres . a Tow rds the end of the reign , the need of

finding something novel, though there should be t a nothing new lef under the sun , led c binet m akers to risk innovations that were more or less a a a a h ppy . For ex mple , the inl ying of br ss in wood in the sh ape of bands and little pla ques ; a fl u t in s a mouldings covered with br ss , g dorned 1 a a r with br ss , pl ques of gilded b onze with p arallel horizont al stripes above the legs of pieces 2 r . a a a of fu niture T bles , round tripod t bles (c lled a then ie n n es a are a ) , console t bles, m de , except r all a the top , which is porphy y or onyx, of met l , a a a gilded bronze , bronze with ntique green p tin ,

1 ’ s 1 21 etc . . 1 . Fig . 4, , Fig 4 E C C E N T R I C I T I E S 5 1

and a wrought gilded iron, steel inl id with silver ; Weisweiler attempts o rn aments of pierced br ass

a o f . a on ground polished steel At the s me time , others had the strange notion of painting designs a a a a in oils on the b ckground of n tur l wood, decoration that had no permanence when it was ar and a was w as left b e, th t very ugly when it t covered wi h glass . Still others would cover a - f— piece with lozenges of mother o pearl . All these eccentric attempts are clear symptoms of decadence . CHAPT E R II PAN E LLE D FUR N IT UR E AN D T A B LE S

T H E as a a a Louis XVI Style , we h ve s id , only c me t o its full development in Paris and in the largest cities in the kingdom . In the depths of the a a a at provinces , where the f shions h rdly ch nged all an d a a l , especi lly did not ch nge quickly, it on y took its place late and in part in the habits

o f r a . a ar the fu niture m kers They only , it ppe s , a an a b doned the goodly Louis XV sh pes , with had a a a which they chieved such rem rk ble results , after having remained obstinately faithful to them as long as they could . Very often the only con cession they m ade to the new fashion was to ” add the antique m o tifs to the repertoire of

the ornaments they employed . That is especially rem arkable with regard to the armoires and buffets of the provinces ; o ne might be tempted to cat alogue them nearly all as ” a a tr nsition pieces , if one did not know th t the most s alient Louis XV characteristics were main rained until the beginning of the nineteenth a a century . As , on the other h nd, the P ris work a shops , where f shions were followed, only turned a a ar out sm ll number of cupbo ds , we must not be surprised at t he scarcity of those that are homogeneous ly Louis XVI in their lines as in o r a their n ment ation . e N o r a a Th m ndy cupbo rd reproduced in Fig . 3 52 R E V O L U T I O N A R Y E M B L E M S 53

a a is one of these ; the str ight line domin tes it , a a a and all e ch of its p nels is symmetric l, the a a an det ils of its decor tion , which is of exquisite a are ar eleg nce , borrowed from the chitecture of r the ancients or of the Sixteenth centu y . a r Car But here (Fig . 4) is the rmoi e in the navale t M as a useum , known the rmoire of the ” a a a t king of the B stille . It is precisely d ted by m o ti bas - a a the f in relief on the left h nd p nel , has a an d which given it its n me , by the symbols of the three orders of the n ation carved on the r a C r middle up ight ; bove , the crosier of the le gy in the middle the sp ade topped by the Phrygi an c a a a r E a p , the emblem of the em ncip ted Thi d st te N below the sword denoting the Nobility . ote still other revolution ary emblems ; the flags above a the le ves of the doors , the pikes on the rounded a a was a in ngles of the rmoire . It m de , therefore , 1 0 1 1 a 79 or 79 none the less , the sh pe of the panels and that of the bottom cross piece are com le t e l L o u iv as a p y XV, is the contorted sh pe of the front feet . a a - a The l rge h lf moon rmoire from the Gironde , a a seen in Fig . 5, is lso compromise between the a a two styles ; the sh pe of the p nels , of the lower r all c oss pieces , of the feet is Louis XV ; the rest ar cle ly belongs to the style of the next epoch . a r So , too , this other rmoi e from the Gironde r (Fig . supe b in its refined simplicity (it is a o f a o a a a m de very be utiful s lid m hog ny) , is h rdly Louis XVI except by the flu t ings of its f a u s s e ” o a rt e d o rm a nte n a i a d of its ch mfered corners , 54 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

and by the somewh at dry distinctness of t he

moulding of the cornice . a a N a a On the other h nd, m ny orm ndy cupbo rds aff as of this epoch ect the most tortuous lines , if R was a and a a the ococo style still domin nt , c rry r a a egul r medley of c rvings in high relief, where C a a rows of ovolos , h p lets of be ds , modillions with a canthus leaves meet with the r ince a u x and the haricots that were the foundation of the a a Louis XV orn ment tion . In Provence it is ’ st lll a a a ra e r o bes better ; the rmoires c lled g , a a ar a those h ndsome l rge moires of p le cherry, or a a a a w lnut unctuous to the finger , lw ys d te from the Louis XVI epoch when their decoration is all o a flowery with r ses , n rcissi , suns intermingled with emblems of love an d music al instruments ; whilst the pieces that belong to t he Louis XV are an d are epoch much more sober , only de o r e c at d with mouldings . As for the construction an d a t e a a lines the sh pe of h p nels , they rem ined r the sa me from one style to the othe . The Provencal pieces we reproduce here h ave been selected out of m any of their contem p o rarie s as presenting the most recognis able of the Louis XVI m o tif s the antique vases on the

r r a . a moi e (Fig . on the kne ding trough (Fig

an d a n . the wh t ot shown in Fig 9, the fluted ‘ columns an d the rows of be ading on the buff et

é . cr dence (Fig the lyre , the bow of ribbon , and the c rossed palms of the little gla ss c ase

(Fig . U nder Louis XVI there was invented prac

56 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E piece itself is of sufficiently exquisite workm an 1 o - ship . The vitrine of Fig . 4, the dr p front ’ o nli e u r n o u r escritoire (Fig . the b a f with its - 8 . 1 roll top front (Fig . the commode (Fig ) have the same pla in keyholes th at are in har mony with their angular a ustereness . The s e créta ire a a ba tta nt is one of the a favourite pieces of this epoch . Here is the cl ssic a 1 a n tre la cs sh pe (Fig . 6) with its typic l frieze of e a r o s a ces n chu te s in gilded bro ze , the of tri an d o u ttes glyphs g , the keyholes (in the doors of the lower p art) of the most favoured contem — p o rarymodel a med allion surmounted by a bow d an a a a . a with two pend nt g rl nds The m rquetry, at the s ame time refined an d n aive in cr a fts a a o a a m nship , presents curi us design of form l a a an d a French g rden , with p vilions fount in of a over f nciful proportions . a ar r - a Th t is the l ge d op front escritoire , serious , r ather m asculine piece ; but the ca binet - makers had a a invented crowd of quite sm ll kinds , for a had a all l dies , in which they given pl y to their ingenuity an d their sense of slightly affected a a are gr ce . These sm ll models often lightened at the top by det ached miniature columns o r corner caryatids of gilded brass ; the cupboard a a a a in the lower p rt is done w y with, repl ced by S a a four pindle legs , joined either by shelf with piece hollowed out in front or by X- shaped r a c oss b rs with interl acing curves . The costliest of these sm all boudoir pieces have a S evres plaque a fla and o inl id in the p , tiny bronzes , sometimes f L O U I S X V I C O M M O D E 57 incredible fi ne ne sss ; nothing more delicately a feminine could be im gined . In sum , it is merely a a r a return , in mini tu e , to the sh pe of the seven e nt - bin e t t e h century ca mounted on legs . Louis XVI commodes have a great diversity

a . c an of sh pes To begin with , we distinguish two great families : commodes with three drawers a an d o a a or rows of dr wers , th se th t h ve only a are and two . The l tter much the lighter more ’ ' a are a s eleg nt ; they c lled commodes a p ie a e le vés . ’ If they have ret ained the p ie ds a e Ozclz e of the

Louis XV epoch , while more or less diminishing c an a their curve , they be extremely gr ceful ; with their happy combinati o n of straight lines an d a curves , uniting the qu lities of both styles , are a they , indeed, one of the most eleg nt pieces a a of furniture th t h ve ever been devised . The a a commode we h ve photogr phed (Fig . 18) is a a and p rticul rly delightful ~ for its proportions , thanks to the excellent bronzes of its legs an d its r in cea u a r t he , which h ve prese ved something of a e sy suppleness of the Louis XV Style . This a has a . 1 a other one (Fig 9) lso ch rm of its own , in spite of the rigidity of its termin al- shaped re ssau lt fluted legs . The projection , with double , a a a n of its f c de is enough to m ke it i teresting , and the pierced brass of its keyholes and handles are of very good design . a t a t he Let us rem rk in this connec ion th t , in are a a period we discussing, the h ndles of dr wers o r m a ins are a a a m a ins e nd a n tes , ne rly lw ys p , dro p h andles ; they are ve ry often rect angul ar 58 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

an d a . 2 1 of bsolute simplicity (Figs , but the most frequent form is th at of the ring a ra a a m o ti which S h ndle f ming circul r f , on imple

a a a F . 2 2 pieces , is pl que of embossed br ss ( igs , The keyholes are then similar pla ques . Sometimes a a an d a a the pl que is ov l , the h ndle is merely ins x s h alf ring (Fig . As for m a fi e or fixed a are ar a a a h ndles , these g l nds f stened to bows th t a o 20 hold up med lli ns (Fig , ) or else held by the

teeth o f two lion masks . a a The Provenc l commode with two dr wers , in

. 2 a a Fig 4, is contempor ry with the revolution ry ar r a a a and a moi e we h ve lre dy mentioned, it lso carries in one of the e ntre la cs of the bottom a r an d S a tr verse the c osier , the sword, the p de r a c a with the Ph ygi n p , the symbols of the three s a a e t tes . The dr pery m o tif is here interpreted

a b u t a c ra a . n ively, in very de o tive f shion Commodes with th ree lines of drawers of necessity owe a sufficiently heavy aspect to their and r are construction , nevertheless the e some of ’ a a ie a s them which , r ising themselves little on p ’ a e biclz . ar at a a a e (Fig rive cert in eleg nce .

a . 2 0 a a Th t in Fig , which is country m de com t - fi a a r mode from the sou h west , testi es to f i ly a a s a a extensive rese rch ; the cr ft m n , while rem in a a has ing strictly f ithful to the str ight line, endeavoured to lighten the sh ape by contr acting a a the b se , in imit tion of the Louis XV commodes a s c lled e n c o n o le . The construction of commodes is sometimes - o r a . a a a o m e complic ted The c binet m ker, nxi us A N E R R O R I N D E C O R A T I ON 59

a a a a a a to void the spect of brut lly squ re c se , added to the right and the left qu adr ant - sha ped S a a helves ; in th t c se , to lighten his piece still r an d a air a fu ther , so to spe k, give it , he put mirror b ack to the compartments formed in this wa a a y t the sides . We h ve seen that these shelves m ay be replaced by little armoires with curved doors ; or indeed the commode is a a a - a fr nkly h lf moon , the dr wers being them a a a a selves convex lso very gr ceful sh pe , perfect to adorn the space between two windo ws in default of a console pier glass . If in the half m o on commode only the top drawers are re t aine d and a , the lower ones repl ced by two ra a and r a shelves with b ss g lleries mi ror b ck, we ’ have wh at the de alers called a co mm o a e ’ o u ve rte a l a ngla is e . A fault common to m any fine commodes of a a the Louis XVI Style , is th t the decor tion of r W a a thei fa cade is treated ithout t king into ccount a the division of the dr wers , this being disguised as much as possible by the exact fitting of the bronzes or the m arquetry designs which continue C a - a from one drawer to the other . binet m kers who were so p re - occupied with archit ecture and its laws never should h ave fallen into this error a a a of logic , for the first duty of f c de , in good a d rchitecture , is to show distinctly the ivisions a had within . It is true th t before their eyes they illust rious ex amples of falsehoods like that of their furniture pieces ; the fac ades of the two p alaces ar - M a at of the G de eubles , built by G briel, the 60 L OU I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a entrance to the Ru e R oy le . The little com

. 1 8 has a mode in Fig , to some extent , this f ult , but lessened by the presence of two very obvious and a a visible keyholes , which fr nkly decl re the existence of the two dr awers ; it is true that the lower keyhole is at fault in p artly hiding the a principal m o tif of the m rquetry . The developments of the commode devised under Louis XV became more and more el aborate ; c/z if o nn iére s with five or six drawers a a at one upon nother , fluted pill rs the corners , a - r a r toupie feet , m rble tops with open wo k g lle ies

a and a a ! . 2 very h ndsome pieces , so pr ctic l (Fig 5) and s e cre ta ires - co mm o cles w as , then kno n ’ r co mmo a es a d es s us b is é (Fig . whose a a sh pe , something too geometric l, does not ’ a ie a s esc pe clumsiness , unless it is refined by p ’

a e biclz e .

Louis XVI tables have vertical legs and ! a a a a str ight fr mes, without festoons ; th t is wh t distinguishes them from Louis XV tables at the a a first gl nce . Nevertheless , even more th n for ’ ie d a e bic/z e commodes , the p of less generous curve was ret ained sufficiently long for small

a a a a s and é . work t bles , bre kf st t ble , gu ridons 1 These vertical legs are of different kinds . are a n a o ff it Some of them squ re in sectio , t pering a are a tow rds the foot (Fig . these c lled ’ o ie a s e n a ine a - a a g , termin l sh ped (from the n me

Wa e re o f ta e le s a l es s o to t e l o f hat we s y h bl g pp i a l h e gs chairs . C H A R A C T E R I S T I C L E G S 6 1 of the bust - carrying pedest als which are of the a a t I n s me sh pe) , they o en end projecting dice ' f

‘ a Xt he re are sh ped feet ; round legs , turned, slightly a u at and conic , with gorge mo lding the top , another projecting moulding at the foot ; they ’ are a r u a e ntu res fluted vertic lly, with or without , sometimes in a spiral . That is the classic type . at a a a Above the moulding the top , p rt squ re of a a section , stouter , decor ted with fluting or

a ar r o s a ce . 2 2 8 2 rect ngul (Figs 7, , 9 , is joined with tenon and mortise to the cross pieces

a . Far r of the fr me f om being disguised , this a - a necess ry reinforcement is , in well pl nned R a a a a . t bles , ccentu ted by the decor tion ound ’ a re a ie a s e n ca r u o is fluted legs often c lled p g , a quiver legs , even when there is no represent tion t a of arrow feathers a the top . Tow rds the end of the Louis XVI period m any legs are no longer a a fluted, but furnished below with br ss shoe a a - a a a with mouldings , bove with ring c pit l in pl in “ ’ brass or engine - turned ; the tete a u as a a a i t a a c binet m kers c ll by bold met phor , is a a a a a then decor ted with sm ll pl que of br ss , either - r striated or engine tu ned . Other more elaborate a a a r a legs imit te bundle of r ows or pikes , f stened by ribbons intercrossed ; the feathers and the heads then serve as m o tif s for the ornamented a a and p rts t the top the bottom . The use of n r castors is becomi g gene al . Louis XV t ables dispensed as much as possible

with cross pieces between the legs , for they seldom harmonised with the continuous line of 62 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

’ ’ the p z e a s a e biche they re appear under Louis XVI ; they are even frequently more complic ated an d elaborate than I S needed for solidity and and a an strength , their complex lines pl y import a ant part in the decoration . Their join with e ch leg is always very openly made with a stout square piece . The frame of the t able is decorated with

. l s fluting (Fig with e ntre a c (Fig . with framing lines of m arquetry (Fig . The t able a top is no longer w vy in outline , but round, o a a - a - a v l, sometimes h ricot sh ped (or kidney sh ped) , a a a a a m a rect ngul r , squ re ; in the l st two c ses it y a at a a r a h ve e ch corner p ojection, round or squ re , l a ccording to the kind of eg that is below it . E a at xtending dining t bles , invented quite the a end of the preceding epoch , under the n me of ’ a a l a n la is e are a t bles g , still f irly uncommon ; are a a they round or ov l , with le ves . C a a a a onsoles h ve gre t diversity of spect , being me ant to harmonise with widely different a a a kinds of decor tion for p rtments . The most a a a a simple type, but not the le st eleg nt , is h lf a and a moon , with two vertic l feet stretcher in the a a a a a a sh pe of horizont l conc ve rch, dorned in the ” middle with a m o tif which is most frequently “ ” an antique urn . The console of Fig . 3 2 is an excellent model, excellent in its perfect a simplicity . M ost commonly these h ndsome are a a pieces enriched with g rl nds of flowers ,

bouquets , bows of ribbons (Fig . Other con ’ s o and a a les, richer still , more rchitectur l in style ,

64 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

' a a a t/z e n ie n ne an a i a ppe rs the , nt que tripod , m de a a a a a of met l , supporting v se of m l chite or a a a e cryst l ; the Pompeii n Style is indispens bl , ' and a S a hence we h ve phinxes , cloven hoofs , sw ns , ’ ' c lz 6 and a a et . c i o n n z ere . r ms he ds , The fi (Figs 3 37) which offers every intermediate shape a a and a a between simple t ble sm ll commode , a a a a a a is ne rly lw ys provided with br ss g llery, useful to keep bobbins and needle-cases from a rolling on to the floor . Here is new word for ’ a - a the c binet makers voc bulary : the tricote us e . ' Now it is a clz ifi o n n iere whose top is surrounded with a pretty high wall of gilt brass trellis to keep the b alls of wool within bounds ; now a work a a - da a a t ble , ex ctly like those of to y, with top th t a and a lifts up , lined with mirror , comp rtments

a a to ile tte a . inside in word , not gre tly modified a ? C a and Did society l dies knit then ert inly , the ’ ci -a e va n t marquises could have given lessons to a a n a those sinister h rrid ns , the knitti g women th t ' u se d t o Sit by at their trial before the revolution ar l ytribuna s . Let us not forget that benevolence and was good works the rule , the proper form , and the mania for knitting garments for the poor was a a a a a lre dy ra ging . The bre kf st t ble or chocolate t able is a guéridon wi th two tiers ; the a a lower t ble is c rried by four legs , the top by one la a pil r in the centre ; it is exceedingly ugly, d a M a a esign th t went wrong . ny of these t bles a —are for the evil itch of writing is univers l, provided with a pull - out shelf and a little drawer on the right hand containing a writing desk ; W E 6 R I T I N G T A B L S 5

the a a clz z o n n iére has a or indeed, top dr wer of f a a sliding top inl id with morocco le ther, in a place of the shelf . For these light t bles new S a a - S a h pes of legs h ve been invented , lyre h ped or crossed like an X ; as for the top it is fre a quently ov l . Here is a completely new kind of t able : the ta ble a e u rs i a a fl , which w ll not be c lled R a e a . a a a j rdini re till l ter People h ve re d ousse u, a a a a everyone dmires n ture , bot nises perh ps ; in an a a a hat y c se loves to go, we ring big in the a M a a Vi ée and a f shion of d me g Lebrun , g ther blos soms at the hour when Aurora has scattered over the meads all the pe arls from o ff her tresses and then it is discovered that the porcelain e u rs ale Vi nce n nes a fl , with their foli ge of a are a a u p inted copper , perh ps no more be utif l a a a a th n the n tur l ones ; in short , one dores ’ and a a flowers , th t is when one t kes it into one s ’ he ad to adorn one s dwelling continually with

an d . a e cut flowers living flowers , The j rdini re from the st art found the Shape it still has to -day; it was often decorated with S evres plaques . a a a There rem in the writing t bles , their deriv n a flat a t ive s a d their hybrids . The gre t bure u of i bo u t the time of Louis XV, with or w thout the ’ a e bu re a u - a or pigeon holes for p pers , is still a r m de , though much less f equent ; the roll top a and a a has bure u , so extremely useful pr ctic l,

. a Wt h a dethroned it A new sh pe, will l ter av bu rea u -m in is tre a become the he y , m kes its a a a a flat a and ppe r nce , bure u provided to left 66 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

’ right of the space for the writer s knees with drawers one above the other ; if they come down to the ground it is altogether our bu re a u m i n is tre and a a . the , it is not thing of be uty If are a sides do not come so low, they c rried on and are a a a eight legs ; there we , b ck g in to the a as f r bure u of the time of Louis XIV . It goes a as combining the round top with the drawers coming down to the ground ; and this is nothing “ ” more or less than our Americ an bure au ; so true it is that there is nothing new under the sun . ’ The small ladies bureaux are very varied . are flat - Some , some round topped ; the most ’ a bo nbe u r a n o u r was popul r is the f , which indeed I n at i h existence the end of the Lou s XV epoc , The but had not as yet any special name . ’ bo nbe u r a n f o u r is a writing t able that carries on

a a a a . a top , set b ck, sm ll rmoire This is usu lly a ‘ gl zed, or fitted with mirrors , or indeed with imitation b acks of books ; a bove is the inevitable a a white m rble with its brass g llery . For writing a - a a there is pull out shelf, or hinged shelf th t O a a a a pens forw rd, or dr wer with top in the a a are sh pe of a writing bo rd . And there ’ 1 bo nhe u rs a n f o u r with rOll top (Fig . 7) others are a e n te as a -da a sa p , it is c lled to y, th t is to y with a fl ap that occupies a sloping position when the bureau is closed . a a - a Str ining for novelties, the c binet m kers invent the most ingenious but most bizarre

a . a a a combin tions We see dvertised, for inst nce, S T R A N G E C O M B I N A TI O N S 67

a c an a a as roll top toilette , th t be used by l dy an a - an d a escritoire , with two sm ll strong boxes ” a 10 a a white m rble p , or wh t is still better, “ ’ ta ble a e u nit th at ca n be used as a writing a and as a 1 t ble , stove in winter CH APT E R I I I : CHAIR S AN D VAR IOUS PIE CE S A LOU IS XV I INT E R IOR

E FE CTI ON P R , from the point of view of comfort , ’ had been reached by the chairs of Louis XV S time ; those of the following period, less roomy and a a are a more ngul r , r ther inferior in this a a are a reg rd . On the other h nd , they more v ried a in shape and orn ament . As with ll the other a ff a kinds of furniture , the essenti l di erence is th t the Louis XV chairs have not one single line that c an a a a be c lled str ight , while the Louis XVI ch irs a a a a a a e lw ys h ve t le st their legs rectiline r . Th a a a fre fr me of the ch ir is str ight behind, most

at t he and . 8 quently curved sides front (Figs 3 , C a a a 39 , ert in types h ve their se t horse

S . a shoe haped (Fig 56) others circul r (Fig . 43) but there are some also I n which it is trapeze

a a S . sh ped, without ingle curve (Figs 45, a ff a all a Another import nt di erence is th t , the p rts , “ all a an arm - a are the limbs of, for ex mple , ch ir , at the s ame time united and separated by well marked joints (always the a rchitectur al influ a arm- a a ence) , while Louis XV ch ir is , like living

a all a . cre ture , m de up of continuous curves a are a The legs , like the legs of t bles , termin l S a u o o r r and h ped (tho gh not ften) , tu ned ” — quiver sh aped an d fluted either vertic ally

. 8 . a . (Figs 3 , 3 9 , etc ) or spir lly (Fig The 68 C H A I R S A N D S K I R T S 69 top part of the leg is a cube decorated on two faces with a square ro s a ce of ac anthus leaf

. a a a (Fig l ter by a m rguerite (Fig . or design of circular mouldings (Fig . Towards the end of the period appear b ack legs square of a and section , curved outw rds , with their line directly continued by the uprights of the b ack ; this is a first discreet imit ation of the Greek a sh pes (Fig . The fra me 13 decorated with simple mouldings (Fig . or carved with one of those running ’ a a ra n a e e rles orn ments we h ve described , g p ’ ' (Fig . ra ng a e f e u illes (Fig . ra ng a e ia s r 1 a a bo w p t e s (Fig . 5 ) or it is decor ted with of ribbon or a r o s a ce in the middle of the front i s (F g 43 , 44, 47) a a a ro vrde d Wi a cco to i rs The rms , or , lw ys p th m a n cbe tte s f are attached to the b ack by a more a m a at or less gr ceful curve , which y even begin the very top of the uprights of the b ack i s ff u n (Fig . this arrangement su iciently a a no gr ceful . They end I n front in volute of ’ a a co ns o le a e gre t import nce , under which the ’ l a cco to ir a arm , the vertic l support of the , joins

a . a it . Cert ain very ornate armch irs (Fig 3 8) h ve ’ a at a lions he ds this point , which is jump of a R fifty ye rs ba ckwards . During the egency a women wore skirts with p nniers , which brought about the invention of arm-ch airs with set b ack

1 The ac r . alre ad s o ws the b k o f this s—ame cha i (Fig 55) y h s ho ve l s hape- e n pale which will be a c harac te ris tic o f th e re cto re er o d Di i p i . 7 9 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

’

co ns o les re cu le es . consoles , During the reign of a Louis XVI the p nniers did not diminish , but a co ns o les very much the contr ry ; however , ' r re cu le es a e now only m ade very r arely (Fig . a a a ma It is , nevertheless , essenti l th t p nniers ybe a S a a and ble to pre d themselves comfort bly, for h a o f t t purpose , from the beginning of the reign a a Louis XV, consoles h ve been invented th t do indeed continue the top of the leg but immediately turn both outward and b ack to lea ve arm - a a a the front of the chair cle r . This rr nge ment still e x1st s under Louis XVI (Fig . but and a as only for very luxurious costly ch irs , the cutting out of these consoles with their double curve is difficult and requires a gre at de al

a s . 8 . of wood . The ordin ry console (Fig 3 , etc ) is Sha an cut in the pe of S , but only curved in one plane ; it is often decorated at the b ase with an a a a . 8 0 a c nthus le f (Figs 3 , 4 , A little l ter a a a and at the p nnier f shion p sses, once the c o ns o les m o nta ntes a upright consoles , of e rlier a a a a times , re ppe r under the sh pe of b lusters

(Fig . It is not easy for this kind of co ns o les ’ d a cco to irs to be elegant ; the meeting of the b ase of the b aluster with the top of the leg is o ften very clumsy . ar S a The back may have the most v ied h pes . o a r a If it is slightly holl wed out , wh teve its sh pe - arm a a e n ca br io le t . the ch ir is s id to be The. med allion b ack (which w as already in ex ist e nce at the end of the Louis XV epoch) is oval ; it is one of the most widespre ad shapes

72 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a M se ts . ost bergeres are very little different arm- a 0 1 are a from ch irs (Figs . 5 , 5 ) others gondol a a sa a and sh ped, th t is to y, with rounded b ck showing a continuous line from the tip of o ne arm to that of t he other ; still others are i na - a confess o l sh ped or e ared (Fig . All the seats of which we have just been spe aking have upholstered backs ; but many a a e a costly ch irs were m de , ven gilded ch irs , with a all a - 0 b cks of wood n d Open worked (Figs . 5 to The most popular m o tif for these open design s was and n the lyre (Figs . 54, 59 to ext the ’ co rbe il a e va nne rie m a nd , ore or less simplified

a - e a given conve ntional style (Fig . the t rmin l a e a sh p with mouldings and c rved (Fig . etc . e at e a t There were ven seen , the tim of the e rlies

‘ a o a a e n m o nt o l ere . h e b ll on scents , b cks g fi T es chairs were fairly often covered in leather for n s and ffi e a and a e dini g room o ces, or lse c ned m d a a l of m hog ny . Ca e - a a a a ca rrea ux n se ted ch irs me nt to h ve , s a a n and qu re cushions filled with h ir or dow , s f a are covered with tuf or morocco le ther, not o f an a e a x e y sh p peculi r to themselves , e c pt ” arm - a e a toilet ch irs , hos ow b c , done with w ’ l k a t he a ro und and a-s a c ne like se t , is gondol h ped ; their seat is circular . A kind of chair that gains greatly under Louis XVI in refinement and elegance is the “ ’ arm - a and a a a modest ch irs ordin ry ch irs of str w,

s er d M aho ganych airs are an inno vatio n intro duced in thi p io . e l t l d 21 la ca ucm e Th y we re a so s y e p . S T R A w C H A I R S

made by turners an d not by joiners ; but we have seen that the two trade guilds were then a a a a m lg m ting into one . The most ordinary of a 6 1 these ch irs (Figs . , simply turned with a v a m a a a no c r ing wh tever , y, th nks to their h ppy and a a a a proportions pure lines , h ve re l rtistic value ; they are distinguis hed from their Lou is “ ” XV predecessors only by the ha t design of ” c the cross pieces of the b a k . The seat is equipped with a flat square cushion fastened to a and a the four corners with t pes , the b ck with a a a a loose cover over the tr verses , or squ re a a a cushion fastened with t pes in the s me w y. m a r in The so ewh t more efined models , which e a at a a a a lude c rving , or le st cert in mount of

. 60 are x fluting (Figs 59 , , sometimes e quisite in their simplicity of invention and the rustic

a a . fl vour of the style of the c rving Of course , those th at h ave decorated b acks must not be u i e d w a a a e pp ith more th n cushion for the se t . “ ” a a it s T e she f b ck is well known , with gr aceful bundle of rods spreading out in fan a a a a r t r s sh pe (Fig . the rc ded b ck (a a ca u e ) has spindle - shaped and fluted slender Shafts ; the “ a r hat - a m upper tr ve se is sh ped or with pedi ent , and c arved by me ans of the hollow gouge ; the a lyre b ack is popul ar (Figs . 59 to the rrises

are a . often be ded , which gives the line more life The horse - shoe b ack of Fig 6 1 is u nusually elegant ; and I n a ny c ase it is a type that is

not often met with . o f a a a and The edge str w se t , the under sur 74 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a e a a a h a f c , which is lw ys rough , h ve not ing eleg nt about them ; they are disgu ise d i n the front by a fillet of thin wood, which is nevertheless missing in the simplest shapes (Fig . or actu ally rather Centrically placed where it has no reason to b me three inches underneath a a -bar the se t , in the e of strengthening cross and for the front legs . This cross piece is fluted

62 a . a a are sometimes (Fig . ) c rved Str w ch irs a o ak a and m de of , of w lnut , most frequently of - cherry wood ; this modest , home grown wood has a a a a sometimes cquired polish , w rm reddish p atina that the finest mahogany might well envy . - a The lyre backed chair of Fig . 59 is very k s a . w modest one , very ordin ry And yet who no what price this relic would re ach at a s ale 3 For it is neither more nor less than the very chair on which M ari e Antoinette used to Sit in her cell at t he C onciergerie . ’ Ca nap es are naturally of Similar shapes t o ” arm- a a are a hat - a ch irs , their b cks squ re , sh ped, medallion - shaped their arm consoles are curved l a a a a balu st e rs b ckw rds , or vertic l in the sh pe of , r the side pieces a e full or open . Those with full are a a a a side pieces ottom ns , rect ngul r or tr peze h a a s ped . There are otto mans with med llion a and a a a b cks curved side pieces ; others , g in , h ve “ preserved the graceful lines of the round basket S a a h ped o—ttom ns of the Louis XV period . There l ca na e Fig . L The ba us ters o f this ve ry e l e g ant p e nd in h c ro s ers w c nd ca tes he e re me e nd o f the s t le . We s all t t i , i h i i x y h

fi nd t em a ain in eds e nche s e tc . e lo n n to the s ucc e e d h g b , b , , b gi g in e r o d t e o w t ro l ed ac s o r s d e e ces g p i ; h yg i h l b k i pi .

7 o L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E with two equal or nearly equal d os s ie rs at hea d and o s s s a f and foot (Figs . 75 These d ie r f ect a e a as arm - a are the s m sh pe those of ch irs , they “ ” a a a a squ re , rched with b sket h ndle design - hat a . . (Fig . sh ped (Fig etc — - The legs are either e n ga ine terminal shaped - a d and or quiver sh pe fluted , the uprights of the d os s ie rs are a a a a squ re fluted pil sters , or g in they are det ached pillars or b alusters and the tops a a of the uprights h ve fir cone (Fig . a o a a m o ti and p megr n te or some other turned f , a very often a plume of fe thers . A bed is styled a la P o lo na i se when four iron rods spring from and at a a the top of the uprights , cert in height curve up to join one another in holding up a n a are u crow , from which the curt ins h ng ; one st u fl a a and wide piece of forming the he d curt in , a a a two n rrow widths f lling long the iron rods , a rs and a tow rds the corne of the foot , g thered an a e b ack with bows . This is extremely gr c ful a a rr ngement . are as a and a a Screens rule simple rect ngul r , the uprights s ometimes flanked by detached 8 a pillars (Fig . 7 ) or slender b lusters ; the top mayhave anyof the variety of shapes seen in t he “ - d os s iers of arm chairs Or beds . That shown in “ ” 8 s a u S- a Fig . 7 ha the gr cef l sh ped pediment of the Louis XV armoires ; it is a memory of the a preceding style . They h ve wooden supports , e ach m ade of two consoles with acanthus de s a -o i ap sign ; the le f the screen is filled with t estry, a a fro figured velvet , d m sk, or embossed silk, less M I R R O R S 77

u C a e q ently with those hinese p pers with figur s , ’ k as a ie rs d es f na es a e a a e nown p p , th t wer cr z u under Lo is XV . The shape of clocks is very little changed at the end of the reign of Louis XV ; they simply adopt the new style of ornament ation a fter the a t he Greek As horology, tow rds the middle of a a s eighteenth century, m de very gre t progres the most renowned scie—ntists did not disdain to busy themselves with it many fine clocks made a 1 60 and a e fter 7 , so in the Louis XVI Style, h v -da n very correct works which even to y, whe

hl a can e . thoroug y rep ired , give excellent servic An article belonging to this period still to be ns a and a the found in co ider ble numbers , one th t amateur of pretty old pieces will re adily enough a a a and is h ve the ple sure of une rthing, which an m o e nn a often exquisite thing, is the y e or sm ll are e mirror in a frame of gilt wood . There thre a a u a princip l types first , the simple rect ng l r a a a la n o r fr me m de of moulding , either quite p i a a a a with line of be ding , ribbon rolled round a and a a b guet , etc . , surmounted by c rved pedi a h t a au ment c lled the c ap i ea u . This ch pite a an a a a displ ys immense v riety . Now it is wre th a a a a a a a of l urels ccomp nied by g rl nds , now b sket an a a a a a of flowers , ntique v se dorned with g rl nds , a now trophy of emblems the quiver, the torch , and i a the bow of Love , w th the Inevit ble billing a and doves ; the emblems of Agriculture , fl il

and a and a a e t c . . 8 2 fork r ke she f of gr in , (Fig ) e a a a hat mblems of the p stor l life , pipes , str w 7 8 L O U I S X V I F U R N I TU R E

and a a crook ; of the ch se , gun , powder fl sk,

a ba . a and a g me g, etc the t mbourine Provenc l

o le . a fla e t . g (Fig violin , flute , h utbois All this almost always intertwined with flexible laurel boughs completing and lightening t he ff as a a a a a a a e ect , le f of sp r gus fern or spr y of la a gypsophi does in well thought out bouquet . Ce rt aI n of these pediments for mirrors are real

a e . little m sterpieces of composition . Another typ a a a is more rchitectur l (Fig . The lower p rt of the fr a me 1s enlarged by two squ are a dditions are a nl a a which cert i y reminiscence , distortion of those revers ed consoles which architects delight to put at the bottom of mans arde windows ; below these are two little consoles which seem l and a a to support the who e thing, in f ct llow the glass to be stood on top of a commode or The has h ut s chiffonier . pediment two c e of garlands which come pretty well down along the frame and balance with the ro je ct io ns of 1 a . The 1111111 nu the b se third type , 5, more a a a common th n the others , is the ov l gl ss , a a a med llion sh ped , surmounted by bow of ribbon , a a has b e a model th t ecom just trifle tiresome, a by dint of its modern imit tions .

The articles of Louis XVI furniture which we have now rapidly dealt with are those with a a which it is e siest to furnish modern room . The Louis XVI Style has in fact been the fashion for some years in architecture as well as in ’ and o b e ts d a rt and furniture j , most of the

8 0 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

R e burning were the prelude to the volution , E a supplied the whole of urope with p pers , which were largely made by hand and were verit able art a - a- a works of . But lthough now d ys excellent a a are a a t he imit tions of the old p pers m de , mong papers of the trade a very drastic choice will have a an d a a a t o to be m de , the s fest pl n will perh ps be be s atisfied with plain Stripes in this wayone c an at a a a be le st sure of not m king mist kes In t aste . can a a a a If we h ng the w lls with some m teri l , it is obvious that it will only be a very far o ff reminder of the marvellous products of the Lyons looms under Louis XVI , the designs for which were made by that great artist Philippe de a L ass alle . And here also we sh ll do well to keep w a at an a a a a e to stripes , hich h ve yr te the dv nt g of givi ng an illusion of a little a dded height to a a are the cr mped squ t boxes in which we lodged . Ca a a As for colour, illot observes th t the ris t o cracy in their m ansions remained faithful to t he a a a a and cl ssic h ngings of crimson d m sk, divided a and a upheld vertic lly horizont lly by gilt fillets , or else golden yellow damask ; but that in the ‘ ‘ houses of financiers an d bourgeois the hangings and curt ains of yellow or crimson dam ask had been t aken down and sky blue stretched upon the ” d a walls or partitions they ha dese rted . M ny ’ other colours besides this sky blue were used . and a bright colours sober colours , pe rl greys , a a a w ter greens , pinks gl zed with white, but lso, and hu e s ' m u ch and i very often , less dull d luted d than we give them credit for to ay . T H E D A W M 8 1 R I N G R O O When chairs were not covered with t apestries from the looms of Beauvais and Aubusson or as far as needlework, they were covered possible with the s ame materi al as the walls ; and when one referred to the furniture of a room it - meant t he e ns emble a a a a whole of the s me m teri l, h ng d a ai an . ings , curt ns , ch irs It goes without saying that we will very seldom be able to imitat e a a this h rmony . If we have got hold of ch irs an We a a a without y covering , sh ll be ble to h ve them done either with a good copy of an old

a . silk, or with figured, striped or corded velvet What was the furniture to be found in a drawing-room ? Let us once more enquire of “ Ca : a illot On the m ntelpiece, the eyes could not tell on what object to fix their admiration in the centre a clock of the costliest and most a ul a and a be utif workm nship , on either side m ny a a a a br nching c ndel br , perfume burners ringed and a C a a round with gold , v ses of hinese, J p nese , and a Dresden porcelain . On e ch side of the 1 mirror a candel abrum with three or four branches . 2 In the middle of the ceiling hung a lustre of ' a a all a Bohemi n gl ss , its corners f stened with pins a a of br ss, gilt or even vermilion . Underne th this handsome lustre stood on three feet a t able of a porphyry or some priceless m rble , upon which were set porcelain vases of the most famous a o i Far E a and E and m kes the st urope , often in

1 ’ Ca o t s o ca u ar is no t er e xact : he means a bra s d c ill v b l y v y . lu mz ere we sho uld c all it a sco nce. 1 ” No t a re a lus tre but a la nterns . l , 82 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E

a and the summer time b skets full of flowers . Here there in the corners of the s alon might be seen a ” a d a a few gaming t ables . Let us d t le st one a a e fi re console, the two tr dition l berg res by the place (these were sometimes replaced by. that a a hideous form of se t , the m rquise , too wide for an d a l and one person too sm l for two) , the other a a a é arm ~ a a and se ts ; c n p s , ch irs , ch irs , those - i a curving X sh aped stools (F g. 49) that imit ted a the curule ch air of the R om ns . There you have practically all the furniture a a a - a proper to l rge dr wing room or s lon, but we must remember that our dr awing-rooms of to - day correspond much more nearly to the s a lo ns d e co mp a gn ie and other less formal and

ceremonious rooms of the eighteenth century . a a and In these there reigned lre dy, much more a a th n under Louis XV, th t medley for which s a a our modern interior h ve so often been bl med, was an There , to begin with, infinity of c little pie es , lightly wrought commodes , bo nhe u rs d a o u r a a escritoires , j , sm ll t bles of every kind, spinets , vitrines . And there was no shrinking from mixing “ styles . In a cert ain _ number of houses the a a a re li o usl owners , rem ining f ithful to old w ys g y preserved the furniture that had ser ved their forbears ; there were also m any others whos e and a ad furniture decor tions h been renewed , in a a a and a ccord nce with the new t stes f shions , or whose old furniture was mixed with more mod ern a rticles . In was m ainly among young

84 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E Louis XVI furniture with th at of anothe r and a v an a ff century still chie e yh rmonious e ect . a a We h ve , it is true , discovered tow rds the end a a of the eighteenth century return to the sh pes , a and the orn ments , even the technique of the a a are time of Louis XIV, but these ch r cteristics n nl a to be fou d o y in few commodes , consoles and pieces between these two and of the highest luxu ry and costliness ; and in this book we do not claim to be writing for new Wal a ce s or — l WCamo ndo s And what of the E mpire Style 1 E ithout doubt the mpire Style , from one a point of view, is merely the logic l successor to a a a th t of Louis XVI , the strict pplic tion of the principles by which the latter purported to be —a a a a governed . But p rt from the f ct—th t it is the expression of a quite new society this very o a i t as a a a a I n rigorousness is l tes , f n tic is isol ted a society built upon mutual concessions and E ac compromise . A y mpire interior is ce t able 3 p , but XVI furniture is a sententious and dowdy p m a and a the idst of r ther frivolous sm rt society,

An d then there is the very important question X I V a m a of colour . The Louis g mut , if one y a and E r a are use the phr se , the mpi e g mut by far too different from that of the Louis XVI as a a r harm o nis Style , even though l st reso t for ing or general e fi e ct we have the old crimson a a has i n a d m sk, which the p st resisted so many changes of fashion that un der Lo uis K N I C K - K N A C K S 8 5 Philippe it w as still b attling a gainst that hideous a triumph nt rep . o r a h as Let us come back to u s lon . It now a —a its h ngings , its furniture , its chimney set and a a a a a a clock two c ndel br , between the c ndel br and the clock st and two perfume burners made of marble and mounted in gilt bronze ; that is a a a the tr dition l s cred set which , for the rest , we are allowed to find very b an al and to replace by a has a something else . C illot told us of porcel in a Far E a v ses from the st , or French or Dresden ; a a a a a bust in m rble or terr cott , group of u a - a al bisc it w re , if the chimney piece is sm l one ,

ma a a . yt ke the pl ce of the clock As for the floor , if it is a handsome one the best thing is to leave a a an it b re ; if you wish to cover it , f iling a a — uthentic French c rpet extremely costly, a a an d prob b y worn down to the b cking, most l — certainly full of darnings you will be quite s afe from an achr onism by adopting an E astern c arpet of well chosen colo uring ; it goes with every all i a a thing . On the w s there w ll be b rometer

a a a . in gilt wood, w ll clock, engr vings a e w Fin lly let th re be , every here , in vitrines , o a as a and on the c nsole , on the t bles , m ny toys trinkets as you please ; there never was a time a a ma th t loved them so cle rly . They y be of a as as three c tegories , one much Louis XVI another : E urope an articles of the eighteenth a a a century , biscuit w re, figures or nim ls in and a an d Dresden, boxes c ses of every sort every a r al u and a r ev if m te i , cups , vases , c ps s uce s en 86 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E they are of fine porcelain ; a pretty tooled le ather binding on the c o rner of a bo nhe u r d a jo u r has an a a ff . C gree ble e ect Then come hinese, a a a J p nese , Indi n things ; the kindly eclecticism a a a of the time dmitted them re dily, lthough they a a a a a 1 0 were less of m ni th n they were bout 4 . a a a a L stly, ntiques , either genuine or ex ct rep ic s a of the origin ls . Nothing could be better in place in a Louis XVI interior than an Athenian le c tho s a a a at a y , little bronze exc v ted Pompeii, R a a a a M rrhina om n l mp , little st tue of y in terra cott a . - Now for the dining room . To furnish this in a modern house will present much the s ame fi dif culty, whether the style in question is a a Louis XVI or Louis XV, for this p rticul r room was still very scantily supplied with furni a and a as ture . Besides the t ble the ch irs there w h ardly to be found one or two consoles or ta bles d es s ertes a f a w as , very seldom buf et , its pl ce a a and filled by cupbo rds , or else indeed the chin a silver , which no one thought it necess ry to a displ y for everyone to see , were kept in the a a a kitchen . If you must needs h ve the tr dition l ff a bu et , which is , of course , often essenti l for a a a w nt of other conveniences , you will h ve to f ll a a a b ck upon provinci l pieces , especi lly those from a was a Norm ndy or from Arles , for it lmost entirely in these two districts that buffets were m ade of sufficient finish to fit them for an a t interior of anyrefinement . A Norm ndy buff e a e t t e then in two p rts, which you will s lec of h

8 8 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E twin beds (they were known alre adyh either a a la o lo na is e a a ngel beds or p ; the curt ins , if a reg rd for hygiene does not forbid them, the bed a a o i a and spre d, the p nels the he d foot of the all a a a a u bed, will be of the s me m teri l , g ycolo red silk or Jouy linen . We know the extraordinary vogue under Louis XVI of the productions of this celebrated manufactory of printed linens that Oberkampf had set up at Jouy ; those bright a a a m teri ls with their cle r pure colour , their ' ’ designs c arried out in ca m a i e u with such e ase and and - sureness , with old world subjects of so a a a a are tt ching ch rm , indeed the most becoming a c an ttire which , even in the city, possibly be and a employed to brighten enliven room . In anycase these linens were not held unworthy of a n the royal apartments . Oberk mpf a d R éveillon a were le gued together to produce , the one linens and the other papers in the s ame designs and the same colours everyone knows that to - daypaper a and ma f a m kers kers of printed stuf s do the s me , and that they reproduce the old models With absolute fidelity . The rest of the furniture will a sa a cha zs e -lo n u e is a be m de up of, y, g (if it ' d u ches s e br is e e it will be the handier) and two or three arm -ch airs or pla in chairs covered in t he s ame printed linen ; a commode surmounted by a a a a a little mirror with n rrow gi t fr me, — l — chiffonier a most practical and useful piece if we c an manage to u nearth one ; a closed night an O t able (Fig . or indeed pen one (which will be really better here than in a drawing T H E B E D R O O M 89

are a room , where they so often to be seen hi l a as toilette , w ch wi l most cert inly not be used a a S a a a t he w shing t nd , but dressing t ble proper toilet a rm-chair with its flat cushion in morocco a a a le ther , perh ps one of those pretty sm ll a a a e Norm ndy rmoires with single door, whos n arrow shape makes them easy to find house -room n are a ti r s a d bo n ne e e . a for , which c lled L st of all ar a a , for the c pet we must h ve modern one , and it will be a plain moquette of the sam e a a colour s the h ngings . It would be a very interesting t ask to furnish a a an country house , especi lly old one , in the eighteenth century style—when it comes to country furniture the styles of Louis XV and — Louis XVI are very nearly alike especially if we try to give it the most emphatic local character a possible . Here we sh ll no doubt find the a an dimensions of the pieces give h rdly ytrouble , and a a we sh ll not be forced to exclude , on ccount r and W of thei excessive height idth , those goodly great armoires of the provinces that c an hold a a a Ca s a p ntechnicon lo ad . Wh t does illot y? In “ the country Chateaux inste ad of ordinary time 1 ie ce s clocks shut up in armoires gave out the li and a a a e ours , w rdrobes of well c rven w lnut wer the princip al furniture to be seen in the dining ” add a rooms and the bedrooms . Let us th t they look equ ally Well in a great country drawing

a a a a . n room , in h ll or on l nding In the di ing room we c an repl ace or reinforce the wardrobe 1 Cased clo cks. 9 0 L O U I S X V I F U R N I T U R E in question by one of those huge buffets in two a o and p rts fitted with do rs , or shelved open bu e ts - va zlss e lie rs a a ( f ) , whose lofty height lw ys 1 a a a astonishes the P risi n in the country . N tur ally printed linen is indicated in every room for han m s and a bo u ca s s in g g , beds ch ir covers ; or else , a a a a and th t highly prep red f bric , gl zed rustling a was a at M a a nd like p per , which once m de rseilles has - da a which to ybegun to be m de once more , and r eminently hygienic b ight to look at . For seats we m aybe s atis ed in all the rooms ith — fi w straw arm chairs and chairs ; sofas like the one re R 6 a a a . shown in Fig . 8 unh ppily sc rce ustic faience and pottery and br ass will be invaluable a to finish the decor tion of our country dwelling, and in many provinces the modern productions Wa li t a of local industries ill d te so t le th t they n a W ca be mixed with genuine old rticles ithout a cl shing .

1 We wr te t is ac e to ac e w t a uf e t ro m the P re ne e s i h f f i h b f f y n e n e e h ro m e e t o c rn ce whic h s tands little le s s tha t f t hig f f t o i .

CHAPT E R ON E : CHAR ACTE R I ST I C S AN D T E CHN IQUE OF T H E ST Y LE T H E E mpire Style is the considered and de liberate work o f a revolutionary generation which

a . R a fostered the cult of ntiquity evolution ry, and a a revolution ry in the French f shion , it had a natural tendency to despise the past root and a and br nch , to turn with set prejudice in a - a i as as everything , c binet m k ng much politics , to the exact opposite of what went before the ’ a a as an f teful d te of 8 9 . This w going to extreme having founded a new society they were struggling to procure an art that should be fi t i as was at a as this soc ety, if not it , le st it a and and thI s was im gined itself set up to be , e rfe c t l a a ylegitim te . But this gener tion , repub I a at a a a ic n the outset , soon turned g in tow rds a E a the mon rchy ; the mpire Style is revolution ry, but it is also mon archical it displays some of the most fundament al char acteristics of the a S gr ndiose style of Louis XIV , in hort , let us de borrow an epithet from the immort al M .

a a a . L p lisse , it is imperi l There is in existence an authoritative text E a a upon the mpire Style , the pref ce m de by Fontaine for a collection of plates u blishe d in 18 12 Pe rcie r and bi s by his friend mse f, under thi 93 94 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

' : R e cu e il d e d eco ra tio ns inter ie u res co m title , ’ re na nt to u t ce u i a ra o rt a l a me u ble me nt p q pp , ’ ' co mme va s es tre ie d s ca n d e la bres ca s s o lettes , p , , , lus tres ta bles s ecréta ires lits ca na és a u , , , , p , f te u ils cha is es ta bo u rets m iro irs écra ns etc . , , , , , The very great influence exercised by these two architects upon the whole art of furnishing in their own epoch makes a document of this kind a a S a most v lu ble , ince in it they set out their ide s in the form of doctrine . They proc aim a ove l— b all thei r bitter contempt for the p ast the past art — of French , of course showing mercy only to “ a a the sixteenth century, th t century which fter a long period of b arrenness seemed to be a kind a and of scion of ntiquity, which the succeeding f centuries , in spite of every ef ort of minds s a as far a e rching for novelty, were from equ lling ” as a had a they im gined they surp ssed it , But the full severity of their scorn is reserved for the “ - eighteenth century . The eighteenth century a a a and insi nifi cance displ ys the me nness , f lsity, g a of its t ste in the gilding of its woodwork, the outlines of its mirrors , the contortions of its - a a a . as mis ce linea r door he ds , its c rri ges , etc , in the plans of its buildings and the affected compositions ” a C and of its p inters . omplete rupture , then , an a a without y tr nsition period, with the p st , or rather a very definite intention to c arry out this a a a rupture , for the p st is lw ys too strong to let ff a I n wa a itself be e ced this yby stroke of the pen . i t Pe rcie r and a However they disliked , Font ine a e a e continued it in c rt in sense , this despis d

9 6 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E o ur mod els for ever ? Because m them can be s a e een the reign of the power of re son, which mor than anyone thinks is the true genius of archi ”

a a and . tecture , of orn ment tion furniture The ide al thing then would be to have in o ur houses nothing but furniture copied from that and R a a of the Greeks the om ns . Unh ppily r a there a e excellent re sons to prevent this . The a and Ancients , by re son of their simple wholly had and exterior life , very little furniture seem a a a a to h ve p id very sc nty ttention to it . There ’ S t he were beds for the night s leep , rest beds for S a la s iest , on wWhich they y propped up on elbow when they ished to write couches for dinner , t ables th at were much lower than ours because of the reclining posture in which they took their food ; tripods on which w as set indiscriminately a a a i ar a a a br zier, w ne j , tr y th t turned them into a arm- a c a t bles ; ch irs , h irs , stools , folding stools , ff and a as all a a co ers th t w . Wh t n tive of a a R n Fr nce , even in the best d ys of the evolutio , would have been Sp art an enough to be s atisfied with so little t Since this furniture is so very restric ed, how is it we have any knowledge of it ? E verything a was a has a a a th t m de of wood dis ppe red, so th t we are less famili ar with R om an articles of

A . a are furniture of the first century D . th n we with E gypti an furniture of the fifteenth century r a r a s are befo e the Christi n e a . The only surviv l a a a s rticles m de of bronze, tripods , legs of t ble ' and a and ea s couches, fr mes of stools folding s t , A C O M P R O M I S E 97 and a a in a number of ceremoni l thrones m rble , at like those of the priests of Dionysus Athens . We c an only conjecture what the rest were like a bas- from the represent tions we find in the reliefs , a and a a the figures on v ses , some p inted decor tions at sa a Pompeii , which is to y th t we know them very little , in view of the element of convention rt there always is in antique a . The Greek d i hro s a a a p , for ex mple, the ch ir with very sloping a a a a and b ck m de of bro d cross piece , very deep and a fitting the shoulders , with legs of such a r an d at a was str nge curve in f ont b ck, how it a ? a m de How could those legs , if they were m de a a ? of wood , h ve the le st solidity or strength a a a Wh t is cert in is th t no joiner , either under R E r the evolution or under the mpi e , ever even tried to reproduce them as they were ; the full round of the b ack was indeed imit ated an d the a a a a o ff spre ding out of the b ck legs , though f r an d a a a and a gre tly ttenu ted, no one ever dre med of modifying the normal vertical line of the front legs . The scanty furniture which the Ancients a a had was far and ctu lly then from well known , m a add a was far a we y th t it from comfort ble , and meant for a wayof life very different fro rri and was a a ours , so it necess ry to invent ne rly f and . a everything, to modi y the rest In f ct , the strict imit ation of antiqui ty at which they aimed was quite impossible and Font aine w as obliged to recognise that there was a great deal of com

and a a . We a promise d pting in it h ve followed 9 8 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E ” a the models of ntiquity, he writes , not blindly but with the discrimin ation ent ailed by the d a a a an . m nners , customs m teri ls of the moderns We have striven to imit ate the antique in its and a are spirit , its principles its m xims , which of ” ll a a time . It must be recognised th t even if are a at a there errors in t ste , incongruities th m ke at a and us smile , something once p inful, puerile a a a a a ped ntic in this gre t l bour of ccommod tion , It was after all carried out with as ha ppy an f as and a a a ef ect possible ; it is most rem rk ble th t , a a st rting from principle so profoundly erroneous , it w as possible to arrive at creating a style so and as a a e homogeneous imposing th t which , to t k an a a a a s ex mple , displ ys itself in the sm llest det il l a 1 of the H Ot e de Be uharn ais . The interpret ation of the ancient models could not avoid the prejudi ces and fixed ide as o f a a e the time , in conformity with the ide s th t wer a held of the Ancients . Wh t then were the Greeks and the R omans in the eyes of the me n who cre ated or used the furnit ure of the E mpire ’ Style Something in the manner of Corneille s tis e rs o n ce as a a a a e fi inc rn ted by T lm , peopl continu ally and invariably heroical and grandilo “ a alwa s o ut st re t che d c quent , their rms y for terrifi a and a a a o ths vows , or their sword br ndished g inst and r the foes of their country freedom , who neve S a a e poke s ve in sublime phorisms, in short , entir a H armo diu se s Le o nidase s B ru t u ses n tions of , , , Catos and Augustuses they were those emphatic 1 The late German E mbass yin Paris .

I o o E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

and E a war a a the mpire c rried on the g inst them . The Sh ape of a box pleased the eyes of this a a an w as gener tion , the sh pe of obelisk not with a and a out ch rm for them , milestone positively R ench anted them . Under the epublic at the outset turners still find a great deal to do in the furniture industry, but the outlines of turned a a p rts , th t were spindled to begin with , speedily 1 a E become rectiline r ; under the mpire , supports a a s a of circul r section, b lu ters , quiver legs, pill rs , are r a a very frequently epl ced by pil sters , legs a a with squ re section . The pill r continues to be at a found the corners of cert in pieces , but de t ache d and a no longer eng ged, no longer serving to replace a right -angled arris so as to soften the -a and a contour, it is super dded to it le ves it plain to be seen ; it is cylindrical or slightly a a a and a a conic l, with b se c pit l of the order known as Tuscan and covered in brass either - n plain or engine turned a d gilt . As for mouldings they disappeared almost com let e l and i p y, with them the nterest they were sufficient In themselves to lend to the simplest a furniture , th nks to the effects of the light on

n . Wa their round surfaces a d projections hen ! a a a - a a lis te l tr ce of them ppe rs it is no more th n , a a a d o u cine fillet in low relief, rudiment ry or ! a qu a rt d e r o nd . Wh t is more vexing still is 1 e 1 w t t o s e o f the Co mpare the l e gs o f th c ha ir in Fig . 9 i h h - h and e r in . t e arm co ns o les arm chair in Fig. 93 th berge e Fig 94;

- r f w tho s e o f the ber ére o f . o f the arm chai o Fig . 95 ith g Fig 94 - e le s f he co nso le ta le in and the arm chair o f Fig . 93 ; th g o t b

88 w t t o s e o f . 8 . Fig . i h h Fig 9 A S H A R P S I L H O U E T T E 1 0 1 that this atrophied sort of moulding manages to make the outward view of a piece of furniture

. a all deceitful It runs , for inst nce, round the a a an arm- a a a a se t fr me of ch ir, p ssing without bre k from the traverses of the seat to the tetes d e ie ds as a p , if the legs were set into the fr me in stead of its being the frame whose four traverses are mortised into the legs . But wh at is preferred above everything is a silhouette as clear cut as if it w as m ade with a S a a a a die ; h rp corners , cle n rrises , surf ces meet 1“ ing with no transition such as a chamfer or a quadr antal . Shar p angles cert ainly existed in sm all Louis XVI pieces (very rarely in those a S a a a of consider ble ize) , but lw ys softened by a a a fluting , moulding or br ss fillet following the line of the arris and very close beside it ; the was a eye not monopolised by the rris , divided ‘ as was s a and it , so to y, between it two or three

aralle l . 1 2 1 other neighbouring lines (Figs 7 , , E S The mpire tyle is just the reverse , it e mph asises the arris and thrusts it upon the e ye as s t o a much a possible . It is enough h ve seen a Pe rcie r and Fo n single one of those designs by , a a a t ine , whose style is so m sterly, but so extr a an d a a ordin rily dry ustere , in order to underst nd the t aste of the time for pure and correct — u and a a contours p re correct me ning, in this c se , an of uncompromising geometry . Let us t ake as an exa mple the simple st pos a an a a sible p nelled furniture , rmoire , or closed a h a e s night t ble . T is is composed of thin p n l fitted 1 0 2 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E i nto uprights and tr averses . In the Louis XVI e and a a p riod these uprights tr verses , in ccord a a and are and nce with re son logic , in relief a a a and a fr me the p nels cle rly distinctly, the rchi tecture of the Whole piece can be gr asped at t he a E a first gl nce . Under the mpire the surf ce of a a a and the p nels is level with th t of their fr mes , a a uniform veneer , the etern l veneer of polished a a a st ru c m hog ny, covers everything, conce ls the ture and putting together and gives the piece the desired aspect of a block whose massive appearance no caryatides nor pillar Will ever be a a a . 8 8 a has v il to mitig te . See (Fig ) wh t come of the pleas ant bo nhe u r d u jo u r of earlier a has t he d ys . A Louis XV piece of furniture u a a E nity of living cre ture , the mpire piece the i u a . Wa n nity of monolith h t still further creases this massy monument al look is the he avy a a b se, which is the ordin ry medium by which 8 and this furniture rests on the ground (Figs . 6 a a has a if it is t ble which to be e sily moved, t he a a a s b se in question is elev ted upon c stor , which in itself is a further serious wrenching of logic . There is another principle which the new style f w ollo s with unflinching rigour, the principle of s . an ymmetry And here , too , it is simply ex a a gger tion of the Louis XVI Style , it even goes a beyond the antique . In a room the decor tion is always symmetrical and the furniture is ar a a in an r nged symmetric lly, y piece of furniture all a a a a and the p rts b l nce one nother, right left,

1 0 4 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E deny ourselves the ple asure of quoting it once a a n s o a a R o e de re r t o g i , ch r cteristic is it . feigns a a a hi s h ve he rd th t one of his friends , sick of a t and n ique furniture , which is the purest finest all a and in P ris , wishes to get rid of it , writes him as follows Y o u do not realise that you have the most complete c o lle c t l o n of antique an d h a furniture ever yet brought together , t t every piece has been m ade from the purest E a a is designs . very one of your p rtments furnished with pieces that belong strictly to a a a a the s me period, the s me ye r , the s me a a people . Not one single n chronism , not one single slip in geography in the more than seven hundred articles comprised in you r A a furniture . No mixing of the theni n with a ae a the L ced moni n , no confusion between the ni nd hat ‘ o f a fur ture of one Olympiad a t nother . a a a a T ke c re , once more I beg of you , t ke c re ”

Wa are . a of h t you bout, to do But the friend is not very susceptible to this wonderful archae ology . “ C a o onfess , my de r fell w, he replies , one

a at . No r a is no longer se ted , no longer rest a a arm - a a o se t , ch ir , ch ir or sof , wh se wood is not b are and of sharpest corners ; if I lie b ack I find a a a a wooden b ck, if I w nt to le n on my elbows a a I find two wooden rms , if I stir in my se t I a find angles that cut into my arms nd hips . A thous and prec autions are needed to avoid being bruised by the most gentle use of your furniture . Heaven keep us to-day from the temptation to I N FE R I O R C O M F O R T 1 0 5

fl r an arm - a S ing ou selves into ch ir , we hould run a the risk of bre king our poor bones . o r s a The pr po tions of the mixture , so to y, of the exa ct imi t ation o f the antique with attention to c o mfort are the opposite of what prevailed during the Louis XVI period ; the latter adopted from the antique only what was com p atible with comfo rt an d the requirements of E a as modern life , the mpire period only dmits much comfort as is comp atible with its a bstract a notions of pure be uty . This style is therefore a an a a a a l rgely rtifici l one , in rebellion g inst life an a d n ture . From this comes the impression has a E one , in strictly mpire interior , of being a a a S a in museum ; nything th t pe ks of life , the ’ a a a a supple be uty of bunch of flowers , wom n s a a a a a a sc rf forgotten on the b ck of ch ir , se t a i a a out of pl ce , is l ke cl p of thunder ; instinct ive ly one wants to put that arm- chair b ack in a a its pl ce , to restore the outr ged symmetry , to shut thi s book that has been left Open and put a a a a a at it b ck in the c ry tid dorned bookc se , to p a l be th t cushion covered with rich si k, which, a S has a tween those two funere l phinxes , d red to a ret in the imprint of a living body . This E mpire furniture wou d be of an im — l possible poverty S ince it neither has lines s o interesting in themselve , nor m ulding , nor a a r a a c rving (except se ts pe h ps) , nor m rquetry ii it were not fo r the caryatid supports it so ofte n a i and o rname nt s m borrows from ntiqu ty, the gilt bronze that decorate its shining mahogany 10 6 E M P I R E FU R N I T U R E

s a . a a was urf ces A c ry tid , in this period, not me rely the st atue of a wom an playing the p art a ll a an a a of pi r , but yliving cre ture , hum n or not , a a and an a n tur l or monstrous , y mixture of p rts a a of living cre tures with geometric l forms , n s a Ca a servi g a support . ry tides in the proper M a - Ant o in sense of the word , like those of rie ’ e t t e s a are a a jewel c sket , h rdly ever m de , but everywhere are to be found the strange race of S a and a a phinxes , m le fem le , with upr ised wings , a - a ae a a as e gle he ded chim r s , winged lions , cting t able legs and consoles to the arms of arm - ch airs then monsters still more monstrous , monstrous o a a a to the p int of bsurdity, bec use m de up of a are ff a a elements th t of di erent sc les , for ex mple , m o n o o d e a a and the lion p , composed of he d an chest continued by enormous paw . An odd half human half geometrical m o tif was at le ast as a as S w as a a popul r the phinx itself . This qu d ran u lar a n a g stock gre tly elo g ted, from which at a a a there evolved the top bust , gener lly ’ a and a and wom n s , below, two hum n feet bust feet sometimes c arved out of the wooden stock and itself sometimes made of gilt bronze (Fig . H a s not even an arm- chair had to endure the infliction of two of these terminal caryatids acting both as front legs and supports for its a ? add a rms Let us the sw ns , which this style used up in astonishing qu antities ; very much as arm o as a employed c nsoles , or the whole rms arm- a a a of ch irs or sof s , they h ve even been seen in cert ain arm- chairs forming the legs with their

1 0 8 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

a e are wh t ver is useful in it , the keyholes often all a a a and but invisible , dr wers h ve no h ndles , are a pulled out by the key, or if they h ve , they are a r a r o s a ces as h nging ings fr ming , under

a téres . 8 and Louis XVI , or p (Figs 7 or little flat a cups , reductions of those th t hold up the bands of curtains ; a few feet away they might be a a r o s a s t aken for orn ment l ce only . Another characteristic of these bronzes is th at are a a a they e ch isol ted in its own pl ce , without connection with the others or the piece of furni as a and a a ture whole , juxt posed with no ttention to the harmony of the scale ; each one is interest d a a ing in itself an must be considered p rt . They are a a , besides , often very rem rk ble for the ingenious symmetry of their composition , the a t he incisive cle rness of their lines , the feeling bronze worker had of What a light silhouette S a a a a howing up g inst d rk ground ought to be , a and a all a and l stly, bove , by their ch sing their 1 are r . gilding, which in fine pieces supe b Once a are a the fixed ide s of the style dmitted, when the eye has grown a ccustomed to this systematic and ff and sim lifi symmetry sti ness , this cold p a a a u c tion of modelling in the hum n f ce , it m st be recognised that the bronzes m ade ' byTho mire a a a R avrio tow rds the l tter p rt of his life , or by , r a e a mong the finest in existence . Almost all the m o tif s that appear in these o rnaments are borrowed from Greco -R om an or

1 The ro n e s o n he e s crii o ire o o d b z t in Fig. 86 are ve ry g ex m l f es e I u htie s a p es o th var o us q a . O R N A M E N T S 1 0 9

E an a a an gypti rchitecture , some from the It li R a a a a a en issance . A deliber te re ction g inst the past is displayed in the fact th at the antique elements already dr awn upon by the style of the are a all a a preceding period ne rly b ndoned ,

flu t in a e ntre la cs . g, for ex mple , triglyphs , , etc The antique styles from which inspiration is a are Do rI C most frequently dr wn the primitive , hi ' w ch is not considered even severe enough , the fluting is t aken from its pillars ; an d that b astard a cu crat e a a orde—r , th t de Doric c—lled Tusc n ; next another Poman invention that Corin thian style overloaded with ornamentation known as a co mp o s ite . To elements t ken from temple a e —a a a ff and rchitectur c nthus le ves , but sti a a r in ce a u x r o s a ces fl ttened out, he vy , , big - a a tight woven wre ths of a funereal spect (Fig . a 8 and and Greek palm le ves (Figs . 6 r in ce a u x made up of the s ame palm - leaves were added everyt hing tha t could be gle aned a a a a l from lt rs , tombs , the p inted w l s of Pompeii, ’ R a all pieces of om n goldsmiths work . First of the a V a a hum n figure, ictories with p lms or wre ths , u a al c ar sometimes mo nted on triumph , goddesses ’ with tunics like Ships s ails bellying in the wind a a a with flo ting sc rves ; Greek d ncing girls , a sacrificial scenes (Fig . he ds of B acchus ’ a crowned with vine shoots, Gorgon s he ds with a a We sn ke tresses , he ds of Hermes with the ing d a a a s o f et sus, he ds of Apo o bristling with r y p! ll br. a a r all the g Then the nim l wo ld, n a s as s t mo sters we h ve een employed uppor s, 1 1 0 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

i ae a i a a a ch m r s of every kind, w th t ils flowing w y r in cea u x and and a in ; lions , sw ns with ’ ’ and a beribboned necks , Psyche s butterfly , r ms ’

a s a a a . he d , horses he ds , m sks of wild be sts a a a The veget ble world supplied very little, g rl nds

a . a ff of vines , p lms (Fig l urel boughs sti ened , a a a a a simplified, dried up to sembl nce of c ci a le ves ; flowers of no definite species , with four a a a I n rin ce a u x pet ls ; l stly, poppies gre tly used ,

and a . a a on beds , of course , night t bles Fin lly multitude of objects of every sort and kind : a a a a l w crossed cornucopi s , mphor s , sh l o cups , ’ ’ a M a a a cr ters , ercury s c duceus , the B cch ntes thyrsus, the winged thunderbolt of Jupiter , ’ a a Neptune s trident ; we pons , swords , l nces , B mo t ian a a c sques, bucklers ; music l instruments , a and a tub s , sistrums , lyres cl ppers ; winged W d a torches , inged quivers , winge trumpets , l mps , E I s as tripods . . . . verything good, so long it a and a is Greek or R om n . The designers c binet makers of the period are h ardly endowed with i s powers of invention , besides , it not their duty i a a Wat to nvent , but it must be dmitted th t h they borrow on every h and they know how to turn to account with r are ingenuity of adapt ation and a i h ndling , ingenuity the more meritor ous in that it c an only be exercised within limits laid down by the most inflexible discipline that e ver xi e e st d .

We have alre ady indicated the essenti al charac t e rist ics belonging to t he technique of E mpire

1 1 2 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E but the E nglish firm of Wedgwood had now for a long time been m aking its famous pla ques with bas - a reliefs in white biscuit on blue ground , which in spite of their aff ectedness deserved to “ ” find a place on the most antique pieces of S a furniture , ince they were in the f shion of the moment and had for subjects nothing but ancient scenes our antiquo - m aniacs never looked a a closer into the m atter th n this . It is told th t when Jacob De s m alt e r was summoned to E ngland Ca a was to furnish Windsor stle new, he seized “ a a a with enthusi sm for these delic te c meos , and r a ordered g e t numbers , which were designed a and a la by Henry How rd , l ter on he in id them bu rea u x d e d a m es a a and in , the fr mes of t bles of beds ; their fragility has made them of ex a -da a a s treme r rity to y. Other c meos were of br s enamelled In relief . a a had As we h ve seen , m rquetry completely a a a was f llen into disgr ce , but inl ying employed nd a often enough . Lemon wood a m ple were inlaid wit h brown woods ; knot elm and mahogany with ebony mixed with brass and even steel ; and when it w as desired to m ake a quite e xc e p t io nal was had a a and piece , recourse to m teri ls combin ations rarer still : the gilt wood throne a I n a a so u n of N poleon Font ineble u , which is a l w a a I n a gr cefu ith its b ck sh ped perfect circle , has arms terminating with b alls of Ivory sprinkled - - a a with mother o f pe rl st rs . To decorate seats with metal ornaments is ra e r u o f o was o ne th doubtf l in point l gic , yet it d W I N FE R I OR OR KMANS H I P 1 13 u E a a e nder the mpire , though r rely . They h v , as a a are a e rule , c rvings in low relief ; if they m d of mahogany these carvings are sometimes gilt ; are a 13 if they p inted the ground light coloured , S a an d a grey, white , tr w, the orn ments in relief, flat a a are like the mouldings th t enfr me them, a a w in much d rker colour which sho s up strongly, are h 13 a e unless they gilt , w ich lso v ry frequently the a . a are a a a all c se L stly, there lw ys se ts gilt

. C a and are a over onsoles , t bles screens lso de c o ra e d t in the same fashion . a are a These v rious methods c rried out , in the a an a and a c se of rich pieces, with bsolute verit ble perfection ; in craftsmanship there is nothing to ’ surpass the cabinet -m aker s art displayed in the fi ne work of J acob : the careful selection of the a a a m teri ls , the exquisite ex ctness of the joints , x the meticulous e ecution of the veneering , the fi nish— a —o f perh ps even excessive the bronzes ,

a I s a . a nothing wh tever l cking On the other h nd , ordinary furniture Is very inferior to that of the a preceding century . Under the uniform clo k of films of mahogany how much s apwood there is a a inste d of good sound stuff, how m ny joints where glue t akes the place of dowels ! M akers less conscientious since the guilds were dissolved ; buyers looking for something cheap that gives the s ame effect ; how should the honest work manship of old days stand against these two cankers E verything that once was s olid 13 now e e arm- air n t o ven red , down to ch s , dow the round legs o f t ables and the pillars of commodes ; and 1 14 E M PI R E F U R N I T U R E if this veneering is not done with the very utmost a an a was c re its solidity c be im gined . This the time when one Gardeur devised a way of re placing c arvings by ornaments made of moulded and lacquered p astebo ard ; and for this fine in ve nt io n he was awarded a medal at an industrial “ ” e ! a s a Pe rcie r and a xhibition Pl ster, y Font ine , “ a a a a a at t kes the pl ce of m rble , p per pl ys being a a a a p inting, p stebo rd mimics the l bours of the a a a a gr ving tool, gl ss t kes the pl ce of precious ” a a r . stones , v rnish simul tes po phyry In fur nit u re as e ra the , in other things, the of counter feit is beginning .

1 1 6 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

e S ra as s ches tim , t ngely enough, the p y a a glasses th t rendered them happily unnecess ry . a The under cupbo rd, or commode with doors , continues to be commonly met with in s alons and in dining-rooms used as a buffet ; it is often painted and carved with Pompeiian figures on its a a a doors , or Greek r besques , if it is not m de of a mahogany with gilt met l work . a a a e L rge or sm ll , for men or l dies, the escritoir 1 0 with a d p front is more in favour than ever . Under the R epublic it cannot be distinguished from that of the L ouis XVI period except by its ’ ornament ation . The lozenge still t akes the lion s sh are ; in the model which we have pho t o gra hed a o a a s and il (Fig . 8 5) it is cc mp nied by st r by f lets e a a a a nfr ming p nels , the whole being of br ss inl id a a in mahog ny . Empire escritoires h ve in the a a t O a u per p rt , under the m rble p , cornice fiFe d a ra are a by d wer , the uprights pill rs , termin als with heads of gilded bronze or bronze a a a ae a a of dull p tin , chim r s , sw ns with lifted a Wings . The interior shows kind of niche with ’ a a mirror b ack . Sm ll ladies escritoires have the a a a a a sh pe, lre dy seen under Louis XVI , of squ re a are chimmras box upborne on legs th t now , lions with one p aw or caryatid terminals resting on a b ase ; the back of th e lower part is furnished with a mirror th at has no occasion or excuse for its existence in this position . The bo nhe u r d a jo u r shares in the general a a a l tr nsform tion , it becomes monument l, ike the

e t s e er o t s . We r i i i o n st, w th n l ss pr p r io give R O U N D T A B L E S 1 1 7

a ma (Fig . 86) very notable specimen . We ynot a a a like th t b se weighing so he vily upon the ground , ar a r a e those squ e pil ster up ights like be ms , thos ’ c a a E a onvention l lion s he ds , with their gypti n a - a a as he d dress , th t t ll m sive superstructure with a be its wretched projecting cornice , but it c nnot denied that the sum tot al has a m agnificent a — far —and bre dth very from feminine , it is true a are a th t the bronzes surp ssingly fine . The Greeks and the R omans had hardly any a and a all a but round t bles, so ne rly the t bles of E are are the mpire Style round . In short , they i o s s is a n u ér id ns . a a m g fied g The top, often it a a a c possible , is he vy m rble or porphyry dis rest a a a a ing on fr mework of wood, pl in or decor ted with bronzes ; some are s upported by a thick a a a a a centr l pill r, which itself rests on b se ne rly always in the shape of a curviline ar tri angle with a a deeply conc ve sides ; other h ve four , or most a a frequently three feet . N tur lly when these legs are l a a and a a a not pi l rs with b se c pit l of gilt br ss , are a a a a k a they c ry tides , every im gin ble ind of c ry atide s a , in gilt bronze , in bronze of green or bl ck a a a a a p tin , in m hog ny with or without bronze p rts . All the monsters that the Greeks had t aken from E and E a had a gypt the st, or themselves m de up and with perverse exotic ingenuity, met together a are a as a under these t bles, where they se ted gr ve and patient as dogs waiting till someone throws

a . are E a S as them bone There gypti n phinxes , a as a can s che n t i hier tic he rt wish , the p on the r and S G m a a e head houlders , reek sphinxes , ore mi bl 1 1 8 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E things with wings aloft and meeting towards the a a middle of the t ble ; winged lions , their he ds E a a dressed up in the gypti n style , or their m nes convention alised in flat regularly ordered locks ; grifli ns whose cruel e agle heads dart furious and a - looks ; th t poor one legged lion doomed, with a and aw h0 the he d p to which he is reduced , to p

. a a are te rm es a a d for ever And g in there , or c ry ti terminals without feet and with a virile bearded ’ a and a a s he d , even those c ry tides with women a and a are S a all he ds busts th t imply m ids of work . a a a a a These supports rest on b se , tri ngle or a i cross , ccording to the number of the feet , wh ch is sometimes adorned with a bronze cup at the centre . '

a a are . u e r id o ns a Sm ller t bles mostly ! g of circul r a a a a a a hr or oct gon l sh pe , with centr l pill r or t ee at a incurving legs , joined their middle by ring ’ or a sm all shelf and ending in lions claws ; or else those antique tripods we have seen making a a a their ppe r nce under Louis XVI , with their bronze p i e ds d e bi che legs surmounted by small T e a a sphinxes , or their lion feet . t bles, work t ables (this is the name now given to t he chif o n n zeres of other days) often comprise a ca s s o le tte to burn perfumes ; this is a new a 13 fashion th t considered to be very Greek . are a a a a The consoles rect ngul r , occ sion lly but - S a not often half moon h ped . At the very out and a set of the style (Figs . 8 7 they h ve for their supports pillars st arting up from an under h h is tanvie t o shelf, w ic itself borne on feet the p

1 2 0 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

an a Wa a co e us e if y t ble h tever , console or by a a s a simply st nding on it mirror of the me kind , a and a and only mov ble , not so l rge , mounted on a a a a a a wooden b se cont ining dr wer, in short

a a a . la va bo mini ture chev l gl ss As for the , it is ' t he a the n ienn e brought to perfection an a I n i a a a ntique tripod two t ers , one c rrying b sin ,

a . a the other , the lower one , ewer Two sw n a a and at a a neck uprights c rry, bove the b ck, irrr a round m o r and a towel r il . a a a The bure u continues to h ve roll top, or a a bu re a u m in is tre else it is of the sh pe c lled , with pedest als of superposed drawers on e ach side of the Opening left for the legs of the writer ; o e m n 1 - u a W when this p g s semi circ l r the hole piece has a a a a and ex ctly the look of triumph l rch , if, as a a it does h ppen , this monument st nds upon ’ eight lions feet its aspect is not lacldng in the add a unexpected . Let us the monument l book a - a a and a a c se bure u, on which termin ls c ry tides a e a a are flourish more th n ev r . Bure ux for l dies now only of the bo nhe u r d u jo u r type we have already described : the last of the bureaux a ’ d es s us br i s e are a , with sloped fronts , m de during

R . 0 a the evolution Here (Fig . 9 ) is curious specimen on which republican emblems are dis

a in a c a and . pl yed m rquetry, the red p the pike flo we r- a a Let us not forget the t bles , they h ve a Pe rcier and become indispens ble everywhere . Fontaine designed some which were regul ar and edifices with two three stories , embellished a a a o f with fount ins, b sins of gold fish, stat ue E M P I R E B E D S T E A D S 1 2 1

d o r a a an . f Flor , the rest Simple models nte a a S a and ch mbers were m de of heet iron , p inted d a an a . l cquered, stood on legs of wood or met l Beds underwent very considerable change of a 1 0 1 0 0 sh pe from 79 to 8 4 or 1 8 5. Those of the a are a revolution ry epoch of two m in types , not counting the extravagant aff airs we have referred ” a la édérat io n and to , beds F others of the

a a ac a a . s me kind, which were h rdly ever tu lly m de “ Now it is Louis XVI angel beds with a few new det ails ; the head and foot are surmounted r a a a I n by t i ngul r pediments , often decor ted the a a a s o u i ere middle with kind of ntique v se (the p ), r are a the up ights b lusters ending In pine cones , or and a at a and at tiny urns , c rrying the b se the s a a t e top tho e rect ngles with horizont l stripes , hos a d isies surrounded or not surrounded by lozenges , which distinguish the carved furnitu re of this a an t period . And now it is beds with he d d foo alike and rolled like the b acks of the chairs of t he i a s ame t me (Fig . They exhibit the s me a a a lo m ar r ch r cteristics , ntique gs , gue ites , lozenges , s o u iéres and . fi , so on Beds of this type , being all a a a a a decorated on four surf ces , h ve the dv nt ge of being able to be placed either with their end a a a or their side g inst the w ll . But when the E mpire Style is fully est ablished a a are beds assume a tot lly di fferent sh pe . They

intended to be seen from the side , or even , most a I n a frequently, to be pl ced lcoves ; of their four a a f ces only one of the side f ces is to be visible, nd a a this decides their whole rchitecture . They 12 2 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E “ ” are a a and a given the n me of bo t beds , in f ct with a little goodwill one c an see a vague resemblance to a skiff with very high prow and m a an d are a a ste . The he d foot of ex ctly the s me and a are height , in sh pe closely copied from a a a cert in Greek beds , little sloped with roll at a a the top , they deepen tow rds the lower p rt and often the tra verse forming the side of the bed is of a conc ave line to continue the curve of an a a the head d foot without bre k . The ornament ation of gilt bronze often includes two large p alms occupying the whole height of the a and an d he d the foot following their curves . a W a This sh pe is not ithout eleg nce ; but the a an d at a and he d foot , being very deep the b se diminishing towards the top until they end in a a and a a are sm ll r ther me n volute , likely to show d a a a a poor an rid profile . Th t is the cl ssic type of E mpire bed ; there are others with vertical head and foot and columns or pilasters for w uprights , crowned ith globes sprinkled with a a a and are gold st rs , ntique he ds so forth ; they a me nt like the others to be seen from the side . The variety of E mpire seats is much greater a a a as th n might be im gined . Less comfort ble a a rule th n those of the Louis XVI period, they a ff and a e h ve sti er he vier lin s, the supports of the a arm - a are a rms of the ch irs perpendicul r, they are a a direct continu tion of the line of the legs, and often even leg and arm support form one l m o t a a a a - a flat sing e if , c ry tid, one footed lion , an a a a T e baluster, ntique sword in its sc bb rd . h

124 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E u prights of these b acks are in o ne piece with the a are a and e b ck legs , which curved outw rds , thes chairs present a very elegant line .

are a a . 1 The others se ts with rolled b cks (Figs 9 , 2 and a a 9 The b ck, curved outw rds like the s a are a a leg th t in continu tion with it , is of pl in bare wood p ainted in bright colours when it is - a a and . not m hog ny, more or less open worked a a a a a The top is m de of bro d c mbered tr verse , a an a a which, if solid, c rries orn ment c rved in

a s o u iére . rin cea ux u relief, p (Fig or r nning a a a a e foli ge, sphinxes f cing e ch other , lozeng with radiating stripes that recall the idea of a

a . a s are a d isy, etc ; these c rving often p inted a a an c meo f s hion . Below this traverse there is - m o ti a a a a open work f , p lm le f, grille with lozenge e tc a a o openings , . If the top of the b ck is ls

an O . a pierced, it presents pening (Fig 9 3) th t allows the chair to be easily t aken hold of in

r a . 2 a orde to move it bout , or else (Fig 9 ) turned b r a . The supremely pure lines of the best of a a - a these ch irs , their slender , cle r cut eleg nce , n a an d a a fined dow , trifle dry ustere, m ke them articles capable of s atisfying the most fastidious a are and are t ste , which like nothing else, pre ferred above everything by certain very refined and discriminating connoisseurs . The specimens as as a and which we reproduce , well the delic te

a e . a a gr ceful berg re of Fig 94, c rry the st mp of the brothers J acob ; their faultless workman s hip makes them very strong in spite of the ir es slightn s . C H A I R A R M S 1 25

W are o hether they of the one type or the ther , chairs of the R evolutionary period have their front legs turned and quiver- shaped or b alusters the arms of the arm- ch airs end in round knobs and (Fig . in little volutes (Figs . 93 or else they are cut o fi square and have a daisy c arved in relief on the top of the extremities e a i e (Fig . The consoles ar b lusters or l ttl a a a an pill rs . The c rved orn ment , soberer th a sober , consists of d isies , lozenges , fillets in relief, a are a a a serr ted lines , etc . , which p inted in d rk colour when the chair is painted light . Let us a a a a not forget very ch r cteristic orn ment , the a a and h little p lm le f (Figs . 93 or the s ell (Fig . 9 2) that surmounts the point where the - arm of the arm chair Springs from the upright . E a are a Under the mpire se ts not so eleg nt , a a a and more m ssive , richer , more comfort ble lso, Ar - a a the b ack is invari ably stuffed . m ch ir rms are a a often , in imit tion of the Greek ceremoni l ae a a thrones , winged chim r s or sw ns , whose wings are a an d a at a brought b ck r ised the tips , c rrying f a and the stuf ed p ds , join the uprights of the a are and all b ck . Wits stretched, ingenuity brought into play to discover antique or near a a a ntique objects th t might be turned into rms , a a l - a e for inst nce , milit ry be l trumpets in the sh p ’ a are a of a dolphin s head . Simpler rms squ re or a are cylindric l , they often enough mortised into a is the he d of the consoles , on top of which placed a kind of carved pommel ; or else it is the arm i the o e and nto which c nsol is driven, which 1 2 6 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

a fla a ends in t section ornamented with fl e u ro n . The a as a 13 a top of the b ck rule str ight , the a a a and tr verse forming it is f irly bro d presents , flat a a a - a between two mouldings , c rved pl t b nd a which nswers to that of the front of the seat . The front legs are square pilasters with carved a a - a pl t b nd or turned quiver sh pe, frequently I a are pinched n the middle by a br acelet . Se ts now beginning to be regularly upholstered a

éla s ti u es a I S sa S . q , th t to ywith prings It was at this period were created the last models of straw ch airs that were in any degree r a a a a an t e ted with c re , the l st whose sh pe is of y a a a s interest . The b ck is made of row of b luster S - S a and a turned in pindle h pe , surmounted by broad traverse more or less cambered . Another type of back shows a flat central m o tif ; pierced and a and an a a a c rved, rched tr verse th t to right an e d left projects beyond the uprights . Th arms of straw arm- cha irs keep the Louis XV and Louis XVI shape with consoles set b ack or consoles that continue the legs but curve out a a a a w rds . This l st type of str w ch ir persisted till about 1 8 3 0 . E mpire sofas do not demand any special de scription as they were hardl y anything but a arm- a ne w S a e m gnified ch irs . There is one h p a a la P o mm i e r however to chronicle, the sof , whose very low b ack comes out in front at a right a a cha is es lo n u es ngle to form the rms . As for g , ' are a a br is ee are they h rdly ever m de now, they e a i a r a i e rest of two kinds , ch mit ted f om nt qu

1 2 8 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

’ ’ a a fi nancier s it a a doctor s , , for is c lcul ted to S — help in impressing imple minded clients . But a a a a a a and a a g y b bel of l ughing l dies , light g ll nt u a a a to rn ment of flirt tion , or the untr mmelled and a an d d a pouting petul nce of children , the y by-day joys of family life would be a sort of incongruity among the austere clan of those a a and ntique he ds , the winged sphinxes lions a in with scowling m sks , with their fixed looks , mid in a a E t i at g like mute repro ch . The mpire Style then we consider should be reserved for a an d as ffi form l ceremonious rooms , such o ces , - a a and . studies , bo rd rooms , libr ries the like Under the E mpire the walls of a s alon were u a t a polished st cco, with pil sters wi h gilded b se and a a and a a a c pit l, frequently p nels p inted in a more or less ntique style . flying figures , a l t I O a a l egories , phies , r besques in light coloured ' ‘ ca m a i e u upon a b ackground of E truscan brown ! a a and a i a~ bove, high frieze cornice with g lt orn

a . a a s ment tion If the w lls were hung , the h nging flat and a were no longer stretched, but dr ped and caught up at regular intervals by gold nails a as or t ssels so to form curving folds ; however, o ur modern care for hygiene and cleanlines s will lead us to put aside with horror a fashio n so a a a a Wf vour ble to the ccumul tion of dust . The indows were equipped with two or thre e a and f curt ins , one on top of the other of dif erent and a e colours ; violet , brown , white for ex mpl , and ra I n o a a T e d ped the most c mplic ted w y. h hangings I n the most elegant home s might be W A L L H A N G I N G S 1 2 9

a a a i a li u e as woollen m teri l decor ted w th pp q , well as of silk and at the s ame time Silks became and a more more common, th nks to the newly a invented J ac qu rt loom . Besides the Genoa velvets and the damasks that were continually r a and a e employed, there we e on w lls se ts thos a a as ra n ds a co n nes sumptuous m teri ls known g f , ’ and a d u a s o and la m a s a in e llo w p y, p broc ded y a a on bronze green ground, gold on violet or Sk - a e brown ground , white on y blue , with m ssiv a r o s a ces a a wre ths , , comp rtments l den with a a a a r besques , trophies of we pons , ntique figures , a b nds decorated with Greek p alms . was a Often the floor left b re , but Turkey c arpets were as a speci al favour permitted in the a a most ntique of interiors . The indispens ble was a furniture , in the middle of the room a a a a an d a he vy round t ble with c ry tid supports , ma rble or porphyry top ; along the walls consoles a a and on c ry tides fitted with mirrors , monu ment al sofas symmetric ally flanked with arm a r in ia n o - o rte a a an d ch i s ; one corner the p f , r re costly novelty ; and that other instrument th at was a a a a E a bove everything ch r cteristic lly mpire , a - h rp . On the chimney piece would be one of those a m azing allegorical timepieces in which the oddity of invention is no t uncommonly redeemed by the supreme be auty of the chasing ; it would be protected by a glass cover and accompanied by two caryatid candela bra an d two vases of an tique shape m ade of white porcelain with gold decor a and a a a as —a tion p inted med llion , these v es 1 39 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

a a a u a — l horrible det il , but bsolutely cc r te wou d be a dorned with artificial flowers an d placed a under cover . On the console t bles still more a a e a a l Greek v ses , j rdini res of p inted iron , l eged a a an d to be in ntique l cquer, full of flowers , ’ ’ those new lamps of Quinquet s which in D avid s studio it was not thought unbecoming to decorate with p aintings . a Beyond its mor l propriety, if we might a E has venture on the phr se , the mpire Style one a r a r gre t merit for fu nishing wo king study, it is easy to add to the furniture o f this period a a a a modern bookc se , or r ther bookshelves th t will an a a neither be incongruous nor n chronism , if they are m ade of polished m ahogany with no other a n d a ornament tion but a sober a cl ssic moulding . as r - a and a A m sive w iting t ble commode , console aera an a fla with chim s , escritoire with p front or an ar a - a under cupbo d , round writing ch ir whose a a a and b ck will be low, in the ntique f shion, fit ’ r a - well into the sitte s b ck, on the chimney piece a square cloc k of fine polished porphyry and fl ambe au x a an d all of bl ck gold bronze ; this , h w a w ich ill be free from g iety or frivolity, will be able to exercise a kind of grave charm favour a a o n e a ble to br in work, though be neither ’ é é M a a d E s arbés Fr d ric sson nor p , provided the carving of the caryatides a nd the chasing of the a a a e a met l orn ments r not too vulg r . a as Fin lly, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that someone may have a whim to s e an E o ur le p in mpire room , let us open good

1 3 2 E M P I R E F U R N I T U R E

a . We the glorious f mily of French styles have for some ye ars now been having dinned into our e ars a cert ain Rest o ration Style and even a ” a a re Louis Philippe Style , which our m ni of a a has a a and h bilit tion t ken up with enthusi sm , f are a a a which ef orts being m de to h ve p ss , if not for beautiful (that would be too hard) at least a m us in E a indul for g . verybody knows th t this gent adjective serves at the present moment as a p asswo rd t fo r the most hideous atrocities of every a a kind, dresses or pictures , furniture , w ll p pers

a a n . a a a or the tric l sce ery N tur lly, of course , cert in dealers are not b ackward in helping the movement on ; they are in hopes of repeating their m aster stroke of some fi ve - and - twenty years ago when E mpire furniture suddenly c ame into vogue a di c l gain . Are they beginning to find it fli u t to get hold of choice pieces for a song in order to ’ at a m e r id ien nes sell them high figure , the , a mbe a u x-bo u illo tes a e the fl , or the j rdini res of painted sheet iron of the time of Josephine and ’ of M arie Louise ? That s of no consequence ! One fi ne d ay t he fi at will go forth that the wretched so much vilified furniture of 1 8 2 0 or 1 8 0 a a a a 4 is odd , musing, in short f shion ble wh t more do you want Natur ally and as a matter ‘ of course , the goodly herd of snobs will follow a and with its custom ry touching docility, begin a a f to p y roy lly for this rubbishy stu f . We will be very c areful not to become in any wa a a e y, however sm ll, ccessory to this wr tched

a 0 a . f rce , which let us h pe will not l st for long D E G E N E R A C Y I N S T Y L E 1 3 3

a and e The c se is judged well judged . Th s o a R a a c lled estor tion Style is not distinct style , it a a is nothing else , when it is not ess ying sh peless a a a E imit tions of the Gothic , but degener te mpire and i m Style, which keeps growing more more o eris e d and a p v h he vy. As for the Louis Philippe bad pieces they must keep their repute . Ill a and a I n proportioned, fl bby begg rly lines , both r and a at a as sc imped he vy the s me time , ill as are a a constructed they co rsely c rved, they deserve neither to appear again in our houses nor to be imit ated by novelty hunters bitten with a p aradox and empty of invention . Pe ce therefore t o a and the dust th t covers them , to the worms that are gnawing them away in the depths of provincial garrets !

I F G . NOR MAN DY CUPBOAR D I N OA K FI G . . C P O R D WI V L 4 R E O I ON R Y E E S U B A TH LUT A MB M . - F I G 5 R E C P O R D FR O T H E GI R O DE F OO S PE D . LA G U B A M N , HAL M N HA PI . 4

FI . PR O E C P R D I G V L O WL . 7 NCA U B A N A NUT R F R O R E S I N W FI G . 8 . C E DE CE SI DE O D R N B A M A L , ALNUT

. OR E S . FI G 1 . VI R I E I G Y WI SS 4 T N N MAHO AN TH BR A NAM NT PI . 10 . . E R Y F DI FFE E FI G 15 CORNE R CU PBOARD I N MARQU T O R NT 1 WDS. PI . 1 COLOURE D OO Y WI FR O E SC I OI R E I N E FI G 16. DROP NT R T MARQU TR TH T PI . 12 GI L BRON! E S .

F I G . 18 . CO DE W O I WR T O D WE ! S A ND O ; E GS I N N AR E R Y . MM TH A R L , M QU T - . WI E R I S PE D A ND PI E CE D R SSE S I G 1 CO ODE F 9 MM TH T M NAL HA R B A , I W . N ALNUT

F I G . 20 . C DE WI I GS DI I I S D H E O O FL E T E S MM TH UT N , M N H AT BA , I W 1 N ALNUT . PI . 5

E I N E WI O PI E E , LL FF I E T F 2 . C I O FI G . 5 T R T U T A H NN H SS PI 19 MAHOGAN Y AND BRA .

WOOD. PA I E L WO E S. l N WI T E G D 1. CO SO T L T F I G . 3 N H N

FI G . 0 R C I R P I D WOD L 4 OF E O P O S E R E D I N A M HA A NT , U H T R E C VE VE . I 28 UT HT L T P .

SSO I L GE A R M -C I COVE R E D I N , FI G . 47 . AR R UB G LT HA A U N PI . 3 2

! WD R E P I E D OO 2 CO FE SSI O L E E . FI G . 5 N NA B RG A NT Pl . 3 5

F - T B E D F O LO I E C VE D I N T H E ' I G . O POS E F 74. UR R R M RRA N , AR T DI TI O PI . R E NAI SSANCE RA N 47 ” FI G . 75. GE B E D WI - L S PE D OSSI E S I N P I E D WOD AN TH HAT HA D R A NT O

FI G. . C SE C LOC I N L I FI G 80. C SE C OC N 79 A K . A K!

OA K P I S. F R I OA K O O NE . , AR R M L RA

I 8 F G. 5. DR OP FR ON E SCR I OI R E I N OG N Y W T T MAH A I TH BR ASS I NLA Y E GI I F ( O T H E S Y E ) . PI B NN NG T L . 54 - FI . . I G WI I G 86 N O Y FL L BONH E UR DU JOU R MAH AN TH AT G T ! E OR E S PI . 55 BRON NAM NT .

1 3 6 I N D E X - G L O S S A R Y ” - 2- Bo nne t eres 8 Cane s e ate d ch a rs , 7 73 i , 9 i “ ” Bo o c a s e bure au 120 Canne lure s 6 k , , 4 Bo s o e an 2 Cano va i , J , 4 , 3 3 ” e B o uc as s in 0 Ca tal the i n o rnam nt, 47 , 9 i , , p I Bo uc e r S e ur 2 1-22 Ca rd -t able s L o u s XV , 63 h , i , , i 12 1 Bo ud ns Carl n M art n, , 9, 95 i , 45 i , i B d - ube au 1 11 rnavale t M us e u m o u o n Go , Ca , 53 ” Bo u llo tte ame o f 6 Ca rre aux 2 i , g , 3 , 7 106-10 Bo ulle A nd re-Charle s 1 Car at d e s 20 , 6 7 , , 9 y i , , 47 5 , ” cks 8 - 0 B o u t d e bu re au , 65 Cas e d c lo , 9 9 ” Bras s nla 1 0- 1 Cas s o le tte 1 18 i y, 3 , 5 5 , ld e d 6 Ca s to rs u s e o f 61 gi , 5 , , n e nts 6 d ra 20 le g o r am , 1 Cathe ,

e rc e d brass Ca lu s Co mte d e 3 , 4 pi , 55 y , , Bre ak as able e 6 e lle rie r I f t t , th , 4 C , 7 - Br mbo r o ns C e ra m c s Gre co E trus can, 15 i i , 44 i ,

B ro n niart wo r s 17 18 C e rc e a u A . 2 g , k , , , , Bro nz e a rt s ts in Cha rs L o u is XVI 68-71 , i , 44 i , , Br n he an e n c u c ine 2 a nd no te o z e s t c t a la a , 7 , i , 9 p E m re 10 -8 b ac s o f 70-74 pi , 7 k , Br s s s Pres id e n d e L e t/1 es c ana e s - o e , t , , 3 , 4 , 74 75 ” p B E ru c an 2 ane -s e te d 2- ro wn , t s , 3 c a , 7 73 ’ ’ “ ” Bruma re co u d c ta t o f 1 co ns o le s mo ntantes , 70 i , p , 3 ” 6 - 0 Bru n L e ) 16 c o ns o le s re cu l e s , 9 7 ( , é ” Buc rane s 8 c o ve r n s fo r 8 1 , 4 i g , Buff e t 51 No rmand 86-8 d n n -ro o m 8 , y, 7 i i g , 7 ” - 12 -2 B ufi e t cr d e nc e , 87 E m ire , 3 7 é p ” Bu f e ts s t le in the ro v nc e s 2 e n c abr o le t 0 f , y i , 5 i , 7 “ p” B u fi e ts -V a ss e l e rs 0 l re -ba c ke d i i , 9 y , 74 Buo na a e er l m ns n a ho an 2 rt , en a a o m y, 7 p G , i , g w 2- s tra , 7 74 “ ” Bure au -m n s tre 6 -66 120 the b e r ere 1- 2 i i , 5 , g , 7 7 ” ” Bure au a d e s s us b r s 120 Ch a s e-lo n u e the 5 88 i , i g , , 7 , , x ” é B e u x d e d ame s 1 2 2 - ur a , 1 1 6 27 Bure au L o u s XVI St le 6 -66 Cha l r n w o r s o f 1 , i y , 5 g i , k , 7 x ” 18th c e ntur 12 and lle 6 y, 0 Ch e , 4 B ure t e n érin e R u e 1 -18 28 t , 95 Cha t , , 7 , “ Cha te a u th e - 8 i , , 77 7 p ” - “ C I E E S o f o u s XVI C ha le ts o f o l ve s , e tc . , 46 AB N T MAK R L i , p i 1 - I 10, 8 19 Cha te aubr a nd , 6 . i Cabl ne t mo u nte d o n le s 1 th Chenie r A ndr o e ms I 6 g , 7 , é , p , c e ntu r -w o d u s e y, 57 Che rry o , , 74 C br l 0 1 18 a o e t 0 Chif o nn ere s . 6 6 i 7 f i , 4, Cafi e ri bro n e s C h i m n e - e c e s o u s , , 45 y i , L i XV ’ z p I Ca illo t M e mo z res u o ted - , q , 79 82, Style . 79 C ne s e lac u er ane ls 12 i , ” h q p Camai e u x 1 , 7 a e rs , 77 ” p p Ca na s - tr n e ts 86 é . 74 75 i k , p ” Canau 6 Ch no s e a la be d 5 x, 4 i i ( ) , 7 I N D E X - G L O S S A R Y I 3 7

C o s e ul-Go u ffi e r Groce-P: tto r Curule c a rs 20 h i , h i , es u e I q , ' ’ D R E Y memo z re lu s to n u a Chute s 6 T , q , , 47 . 49 , 5 A H NA Chu te s d e u rland e s 8 4 g i , 4 Dav d s ee ar c al Clo c ks o rna me ntal 1 i , F . A . ( M é , , , 6 h S lva n c a e - y i ) s d , 89 90 Dav d ac ue s o u s nfl uence 6 L o u s XV I St le i , J L i , i , i y , 77 q B e l z s a rz u s I 6 Co c h n , i , 3 c a nvas e s o f art c le in the M e rcu re 6- , 99 i , 9 his ant u e e c e s 2 B e lll card a nd Obs e rva tt o zz i i , 4 , q p ' ’ Na o le o n a nd 3 1 s u r les a n tz qm tes d H e rcu p , Oa th of t/1c H o ra tu I 6 la n u m - , , 4 5 ” o n o rname ntat o n 2 Co n the i , 4 i , , 55 o rtra t o f M me . ecam er Co lo urs l ht v ue o f i i . , , o , 79 p R ig g 12 f o r d ra w - 7 mg ro o ms , 80 8 1 ” s tud o 1 0 Co lumn th e us i , 3 , , e in o rname nt, D e c o ra t o n nternal e nd 18th 46 -47 i , i , ’ c e nt ur 1 Co mmo d e o uve rte a l an y, 7 ” De fi and M ar u s e d u 8 la s e , i , 3 g i , 59 q De la cro i u o ted 0 Co mmo d e s a d e s s us r s 60 , q , 4 b i é , x “ ” D e lo rme h l be rt 2 Co mmo d e s e n c o n o le 8 , P i i , s , 5 “ ” e nt cu le s , 5 Co mmo d e s o f the trans t o n D i 4 i i D es i ne rs urn ture 20 e r o d 10 g , f i , i , p Des malter aco b r , , wo o f 25, c o ns tru c t o n 58-59 J k , i , 2 9, 33 , 95, 112 aults in d e co rat o n - , f i , 59 60 d e ro t 8 . L o u is X I - Di , 5, 3 , 39 V , 57 58 n n -ro o m urn s n the ro ve n al Di i g , f i i g , P c , 58 h 86-8 the ha l -m n 7 f o o , 59 n n -ta le s e te ndin 62 Co m e ne Di i g b , g, i g , 34 “ x p Di hro s c ha r Co nc e r e r he p , i , 97 e , t , 74 i g i re c to re St le 1 26 -2 6 Co nd lla c 1 Di i y , 7, 7, 9 i , 4 a n d n o te I I C o nd o rc e t L c e 1 , 5 , y é , 7 ” Do l h ns 8 Co nfi d e nts i , 4 , 75 p ’ Do n d A mitié ns cr n , t o , 45 Co ns o le e r las s 5 i ip i , 9 pi g o r c r e e ns l D i f i , 47 Co o e , th e , 47 z s t le in ras s e s 10 E m ire S l - y b , 9 ty e , 1 18 19 ” p o s s e rs 6 , 7 L o u s XV I St le 62-6 D i i y , 3 ” ” Do ss e rs e n c a e au 1 Co ns o le -c o m d e i , 7 mo , 1 19 ” h p ’ ” Do u c ne 100 Co ns o les d ac c o to rs 0 i , i , 7 ” raw n -ro o m the w alls -80 Co ns o le s m n D i g , , 79 o tante s , 70 ” f u niture Caillo t u o ted 8 1 Co ns o le s re c u l e s - , , q , , 69 70 é g2 Co nve nt o n u rn t ure fo r the 2 i , f i , 5 “ ” n c - na c s 8 -86 Co rbe l d e vann k i k k k , 5 e r e , 72 i i m x n o f s t le s 8 2-8 Co r nth an s t le 10 i i g y , 4 i i y , 9 “ ” res d e n o rname nts 8 1 8 te s D , , 5 Co , 46 D u ches s es , 75, 88 Co untr ho us e urn s h n y f , 89 i i g u o urc d e s ne r 20 g , ig , C re ss e nt, 95 Cu bo ard s o u s 2- E O Y d s us e and t ea-a e ara nce p , L i XVI , 5 54 B N , i pp c o rner - 6 f - , 55 5 o . 49 50 1 3 8 I N D E X - G L OS S A R Y

a - Fo ntaineble u w f B n an E gyp to mani , 108 9 a , o rk o e em , ' 1 E las qu e s a, s t le o f u h o ls te ry, 9 , y p 12g o ur- o s te r be d 5 F p , 7 c E l s ee , the 3 ra n 01s , 2 y , 4 F I E m re u rn ture h s to r o f the re nch d e c o ra t1ve art E y t an pi f i , i y F , g p i s t le 1-2 -10 1 a rch te c ture in 1 y , , 9 , 9 i , 5 s - bro nz e , 107 8 c h a ct e c -100 R I E L arch e ct ar r s t s 3 , t , i i , 9 GAB i 59 c o lo u rs us e d 8 -85 Gard e -M e uble s ala ce a ade s , 4 , p , f c , - d e ve lo me nt o f the 20 21 1 1, 59 p , , 25 0- ard e ur d s c o ve r 1 1 , 3 34 G , i y, 4 o rn a me nts 108-10 G o va nn o f U d ne , i i i , 49 te chn ue 100-10 ro nd e armo re ro m i , 7 Gi , i f , 53 q” ” “ E ntre lacs 62 d ro ns , 9 , 45, Go , 45 E ntre la cs a ro s ac e s 6 o nc o urt Bro s cz tcd 2 1 , 5 G , E s c r to re the lar e dro - ro nt Go u thiere 1 1 1 i i , g f , , 45, p ” “ 6 o u tt e s 6 5 G , 47 , 5 ” E m re Style 116 Grand s fa co nnés 129 pi , , E s c u r al Gre c c -E trus c an c e ram c s I i , 34 i , 5 E wn 2 - m o tz s - trus c an bro , 3 Gre c o R o man f , 108 9 ” o ble ts 28 Gre e m ann e r a rt cle s in the g , k , i , ” E vo e 28 , 3 , 77 as h o ns u nd er the E m re f i pi , - E DE R I O d ay o f the , 22 1 1 18 F AT N, 7 b e ds a la 121 infl ue nce at t me o f e vo la , i ’ R e u lle s d a c anthe t o n 2 1 F i , 45 i , ’ ” e u ille s d e au 5 mo nu me ntal arc te c ture 1 F , 4 hi , 7 lat ild n 1 11 re e s urn tu re o f the 6- 8 F g i g, 45, G k , f i , 9 9 “ ” 12 le u ro n , 6 Gre u e 39 F z , le urs d e V nc e nnes 6 Gr mm D d e ro t and Co rres o nd F i , 5 i , i , p lo w e r-table s 12 -121 e nce lz ttém t rc F , 0 , 7 f - lu tin s o mar u e try 6 7 ro te s u e s , 8 F g q , 4 4 G q 4 o ntaine e rre and Charles Gu r do n the 6 11 -18 F , Pi , é i , , 4, 7 Percie r art o f 2 18 25, 28 u ld s s u re s s e d b the e vo , , , , , G i , pp y R - l -2 3 1 34 utio n, 25 6 a lle o r1cal 1e c e s 3 0 g p , d e s ns fo r fl o w e r-t a le s H I LTO c o lle c t o n SOH MB ig b , AM N i , 120-121 e ms 1 1 1 g , , 5

E t an e ce s 2 H ancarville , 15 gyp i pi , 9 nfl ue nc e o n the art o f H andle s d ro o f o u s XVI i , p, L i urni s h n e o ch - 8 f i g, , 57 5 p ” o n c o m ro m s e - 8 H ar c o ts o rname nt i , 97 9 i , , 54 p ” o n th e ne w mo u ld n s 11 H a t d e s i n the 1 6 i g , 4 g , , 7 , 73 , 7 us e o f ne w l ne s -101 10 H e lle n c art R o man and 1 i , 99 , 3 i , , , 5 ‘ o nta ne ble au bo ud 01r o f M ar e H erc u lane u m d s co e r F i , i , i v y, 4 nto ne tte 1 bo o o n - A i , 7, 49 k , 4 5 urnit u re in s t le o f L o u s s t le 20 f y i y , ’ XI V 18 H e rvie ux M lle . d mans o n o f , , , i , ’ Na o le o n s thro ne 1 1 17- 18 p ,

140 I N D E X - G L OS S A R Y ” o u s St le , c o mmo d es as c aro ns , 9 L i XVI y , 57 M 4 d e fi n t o n o f s ur a ce s 2 M e rcu re d e F 1 a nce the Su l i i f , 4 , i ” pp d ff e re nc e ro m L o u s XV c at o n 6- i f i i , 7 ” - nne s 12 Style , 83 84 M e ridie , 7 e s c r to re s 1 16 M erve lle us e s the 2 -28 i i , i , , 7 l n e s -100 1 1 1 M és e n ere L a o u rn a l d es i , 99 , g , , J - M o d es e t d es D a mes 2 49, 54 , 7 mo u ld i n e s la o r M e s lé e R u e 2 g, 43 M y, , , 5 no n-d e ve lo ment in the ro M e tal o rname nts o n s e ats 112-1 p p , 3 v n c e s 2 M l ta re a be d i , 5 i i i ( , 75 o rna me ntat o n - 6 M rro rs s m all 8 i , 44 4 i , , 77 , 7 e c e s w t re vo lu t o nar m o vable 1 1 -120 pi i h i y , 9 e mble ms 2 1 o d ill o ns , M i , 54 r nc le o f the s tra t M o nte s u e u 1 -16 p i ip igh q i , 5 l ne 0- 2 M o nt o lfi ere e n 2 i , 4 4 g ( ) , 7 ta e s tr e s 80 o nt n 18 p i , M ig y, o u s hill e as o ns und e r M o re au 2 L i P ip , f hi , , 4 8 8 1 2 M o s a cs o f lo re nc e 1 4 5, 3 33 i F , 4 ” o u ve c e nne s av l o n o f M o t s o rna me ntal 6- , 37 f , , 7 L i p i i , i 4 4 o uvre the u re au o f L o u s a nt u e 52 L , , b i iq , XV 1 1 o u s XV I , L i , 54

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Y u f - P rs n ul - O , vo e o 0, N O E O , t Co s , 3 0 1 MAH GAN g , 49 5 A L N Fi 3 thro ne at o nta neble a u 1 12 F i , ” s nd a n a n , o u s e tes Ne u w e d , I 3 M i L i XVI , p , i 57-58 No rm andy c u bo ards 2-5 p , 5 4 xes bu e ts 8 6 8 fi , 5 ff , 7 alma s o n res to rat o n 1 No u ve aux R che s a ter 1 M i , i , 3 , 34 i f 795, anc e tte s 6 26-2 M h , 9 7 ara t A fl l t d a eu le u o te M , P p , d q , 25-26 O E R PF 88 B KAM , h l an . ar c a S v . av d Odio t 22 M é l , y i , F A D i , a nd Q ehe n wo r s o f 10 1 1 2 , k , , , 7 , 95 M ar u e r te th e in o rname nt 6 Orna me nts L o u s XVI St le g i , , , 9 , i y , M a r e -L o u s e 1 2 - i i , 3 44 49 M ar u e tr R o e n e n a - y t nd , 13 I E m re St le , 108 110 , g 4 pi y q ’ fl u tin s o f 6- Os mo nt H Ote l d 1 g , 4 47 , , 7 f o r e s c r to re s 6 Otto m a ns - i i , 5 , 74 75 ” M ar u s e the 8 2 Ove s q i , , , 45 M ars Cham d e the tr um hal , p , i p “ ” arch 22 P D SOY 12 , A , 9 UA ” ars e lle s 0 a e s tum St le 1 M i , 9 P y , 7 artin lac ue r the Pa n n the an u e in 6- M , , 49 t , t 1 1 q i i g iq , 7 I N D E X - G L O S S A R Y 1 4 1

Pane l d e fi n t n f 2- R u l c s t le s o o e , y o f the 2 , i i , 4 43 p b i , anur e a nte r o rs o f the 28 P g ( 75 i i , a e rs d e s nd e s turne rs und er the 100 P i , 77 , p ”I a t ss e r e s R e s t o rat o n St le 1 2 P i i , 79 i y , 34, 3 33 a u l e t Vz r u z z e é e ill n P , I 6 R o , a e rs mad e b 8 0 g y, p p 79 , e dim e nts m rro r - 8 gé P , i , 77 7 e intu re e t d e Sc u l tu re A c a R e vo lut o nar er o d s l P , y , ty e , 1 p i p i 9 , d em e d e i , 3 e t Dunke r u e he ha rs 12 t t , c , 5 P i q , 44 i r i r s ee n c e s o f the - Pe c e , Charle s ( o ta ne e , 83 84 F i , pi Pie rre ) s ymbo ls o n L o u is XVI ano o rte the 12 e c e s 2 1-22 8 Pi f , , 9 pi , , 5 “ ” e d s d e b c e 20 8 R b o ns no ts o f 1 Pi i h , 9, , 4 , 57 , i b , k , 4, 49 8 6o 62 R ie s e n e r e a n H e nr 10-1 1 1 5 , , , J i, , 9, ” P e d s e n c ar uo s 6 1 2 i i , 7. 43 , 95 q ” ” e d s e n a ne 60 R nc e a ux I 1 Pi g i , i , 7, 9, 47 , las tre s 8 12 Pi , 47 4 54 4 ra ne s i 1 - 1 R vo l 28 Pi , 4 5 i i , “ o lo na s e a la e d s - 6 R o c a lle 6 P i ( ) , b , 75 7 i , m a d me e R o c o c o St le o o ur M d , , , y , 54 P p , 3 5 37 he O u s cu les u P o m e i e xc ava t o ns infl u e nc e R o e d e re r, p , q o ted p i i , , o n tas te o f the t me 2 0 10 - i , 4, 4, 4 , 3 5 6 R e n e n Dav d mar u e t 86 o t , ry o f , 4, g , i q o rc e la n la u e s 50 13 -1 P i p q , 4 r nt e d line ns 0 R o man arc h te c tu re nfl ue nc e P i , 9 i , i u is X I ro ve nc e a rm o re s ro m o n the o V Style , 0 3 P , i f , 54 L 4 , 4 c o mmo d e s f i o m 8 R o ma ns urn ture o f the 6- 8 , 5 , f i , 9 9

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R I S d e c oeu r 5 lo ve o f an t u ty, 5 A , 4 iq i R a n d e e u ille s 6 R o a le R u e 60 g f , 9 y , , ” R R u ba ns e nro u l s an d e e rle s , 69 , 45 g p ” é R t - R u d e nt 6 a n s d e ias re s 9 , 45 6 6 , 4 g p , 4 , 9 é R a n s d e Sa é u e s 6 R u m es d es lu s bea u x mo nu mcn ls g p q , 4 p as ca l n d e la Grece R o , 9 5 , 3 v b z e s b 108 1 1 R a rio , ro n y, , 3 - T I E au o ur c i . a S I O e a m e r, M me o rtr t by , , R , p i A NT AN N F b g av d 2 12 c a b ne t make rs 22 D i , 4, 7 i , d e co rat o n o f her ho us e 28 Sa nt-Clo ud re s to rat o n 1 3 i , i , i , 3 , 4 ’ ' R e u e z l d a n z u z tcs a lm H O l d e 1 c t . S e q , e tc , 3 , t , 7 R e e nc s t le o f the 2 1 6 - 0 Sa lo n o f 1 8 16-1 g y, y , , 9 7 7 5, 7 ” r R e B s e u 1 alo ns d e co m a n e 82 R e m a t , u a s d 7 S g , p , p i R e na s s a nc e the fi rs t re nc h 2 Sau n e r Clau d e C . 1 I i , F , i , , 3 , 9 nfl ue nc e o n s t le f o rna S c hwe rdfe e r 1 i y o g , 9 m e n 8- Sc re e ns 6- t , 4 49 , 7 77 1 42 I N D E X . G L O SSA R Y

“ Se ats E m re 122-2 o m e au a la bed , pi , 3 T b , ( ), , 75 ” Sec r ta re a a attant 6 o re s é i b , 5 T , 45 ” Se c re ta re s -co mmo d e s 60 To u e s i , i , 55 p ” Seve r n c ab ne t-ma e r 18 Trans t o n i e c e s 52 i , i k , i i p , “ h o u lar 0 T c u he Se re s c n a , ty, 5 r o te s e , t 6 v i p p i i , 4 la u 6 1 11 T l h 6 e s , 5 , 6 r y s S p q 5, ig p , 47. She a b ac k T r nke ts the re e manner in 6 f , 73 i , G k , S rts o f the R e e nc 6 - 0 o u lar t o f 8 -86 ki g y, 9 7 p p i y , 5 So a a le o mm e r 12 Tu le rie s re s to rat o n 1 f P i , 7 i , i , 3 So as E m re 126-2 T ur e c ar e ts 12 f , pi , 7 k y p , 9 So ub s e H Ote l d e 1 Tu rne rs u ld o f 0 i , , 7 , g i , 5 , 73 “ So ufllo t 2 Tu r u e ( a be d , , 3 q , 75 So u ere 121 12 us c an o rd e r the 10 pi , , 4 T , , 9 Stra w c ha rs 2- 126 w n b e ds 88 i , 7 74, T i , S mbo ls R e vo lu t o na r o n y , i y, L o u s e ce s 2 1-22 DE I L co lle c t o n the 1 1 i XVI pi , VAN RB T i , , - Symm e tr in E m re St le 102 and eres ar u s d e , 3 y pi y , 3 V i , M q i Vario us w ays o f o rname nti ng ” L E 51 fl e urs 6 c himne e c e s 1 T B , 5 y i , 5 A ” p Ta le d e u nit 6 V a t ca n L o as arabes ue s b , 7 i ggi , , 49 ’ ’ q Ta blea u x tz res d H o mere ct d e V e ndom e Co lumn 2 n o te , 9 Vz r t l e - V e rs a lle s 18 g , 3 4 i , ” Ta l - u ll e 6 i ée -L e bru n So u ve n i rs e b o o tt V M me . b i , 3 g , , , ” able -co ifl e us e the 1 1 -20 cz ted 2 -28 T , , 9 , 7 able s cro o e d -le e d s t le 6 T , k gg , 9 y , 5 ’ a l an la s e 62 V tr ne the - 6 g i , i i , , 55 5 c ard 6 V tru v us , 3 i i , 5 co ns o les 62-6 vant-B e n o n s avant 2 , 3 Vi , , 9 E m re 1 1 -18 pi , 7 - W le s o f 60 61 a lla c e Co lle c t o n 1 g , i , 9 I ll 2- Wall-h n s 128-2 o u s XV s ma 6 6 a in E m re L i , 4 g g , pi , 9 e c s - e c 1- Wa ll- a er 0 th ro s e 6 62 s 8 pi , p p , e Wl l th ram e 62 a o e H o rac e 8 f , p , , 3 w r tin 6 -66 We d wo o d has -re l e s 0 i g, 5 g , i f , 5 a les -d e s s e rt e s 86 la u e s 1 12 T b , , ” p q bl r We s we le Ad a a e s r m 20 1 T i , 47 i i , , , 5

Talma 28 Wnc e lm nn . 1 a , i k , J , 4 “ ” Te rme 118 Wnd s o r a s le d s C t re e co ratio n , i , , ” ete du e d 6I T pi , Tho mire bro n e s 108 Wo o d s us ed und er h t e E m re , z , , pi , Tho rwald s e n 1 1 1 , 33 To le t arm-cha irs 2 Wr t n table s 6 -66 i , 7 i i g 5 To le t table s L o u s XV I 6 -6 i , i , 3 4 “ ” o le tte 18th c e n tur 1 1 X-s ha ed s to o ls 20 T i , y, 9 p ,