Project Gutenberg's Illustrated History of Furniture, by Frederick LitchfieldThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.netTitle: Illustrated History of Furniture From the Earliest to the Present TimeAuthor: Frederick LitchfieldRelease Date: May 4, 2004 [EBook #12254]Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: ISO-8859-1*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF FURNITURE ***-[Illustration: Interior of a French Chateau Shewing Furniture of the Time.Period: Late XIV. or Early XV. Century.]Illustrated History Of Furniture:_From the Earliest to the Present Time._byFrederick Litchfield.With numerous Illustrations1893.Preface.In the following pages the Author has placed before the reader an accountof the changes in the design of Decorative Furniture and Woodwork, fromthe earliest period of which we have any reliable or certain record untilthe present time.A careful selection of illustrations has been made from examples ofestablished authenticity, the majority of which are to be seen, either inthe Museums to which reference is made, or by permission of the owners;and the representations of the different "interiors" will convey an ideaof the character and disposition of the furniture of the periods to whichthey refer. These ...
Project Gutenberg's Illustrated History of Furniture, by Frederick Litchfield
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Illustrated History of Furniture
From the Earliest to the Present Time
Author: Frederick Litchfield
Release Date: May 4, 2004 [EBook #12254]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF FURNITURE ***
-
[Illustration: Interior of a French Chateau Shewing Furniture of the Time.
Period: Late XIV. or Early XV. Century.]
Illustrated History Of Furniture:
_From the Earliest to the Present Time._
by
Frederick Litchfield.
With numerous Illustrations
1893.
Preface.
In the following pages the Author has placed before the reader an account
of the changes in the design of Decorative Furniture and Woodwork, from
the earliest period of which we have any reliable or certain record until
the present time.
A careful selection of illustrations has been made from examples of
established authenticity, the majority of which are to be seen, either in
the Museums to which reference is made, or by permission of the owners;and the representations of the different "interiors" will convey an idea
of the character and disposition of the furniture of the periods to which
they refer. These illustrations are arranged, so far as is possible, in
chronological order, and the descriptions which accompany them are
explanatory of the historical and social changes which have influenced the
manners and customs, and directly or indirectly affected the Furniture of
different nations. An endeavour is made to produce a "panorama" which may
prove acceptable to many, who, without wishing to study the subject
deeply, may desire to gain some information with reference to it
generally, or with regard to some part of it, in which they may feel a
particular interest.
It will be obvious that within the limits of a single volume of moderate
dimensions it is impossible to give more than an outline sketch of many
periods of design and taste which deserve far more consideration than is
here bestowed upon them; the reader is, therefore, asked to accept the
first chapter, which refers to "Ancient Furniture" and covers a period of
several centuries, as introductory to that which follows, rather than as a
serious attempt to examine the history of the furniture during that space
of time. The fourth chapter, which deals with a period of some hundred and
fifty years, from the time of King James the First until that of
Chippendale and his contemporaries, and the last three chapters, are more
fully descriptive than some others, partly because trustworthy information
as to these times is more accessible, and partly because it is probable
that English readers will feel greater interest in the furniture of which
they are the subject. The French _meubles de luxe_, from the latter half
of the seventeenth century until the Revolution, are also treated more
fully than the furniture of other periods and countries, on account of the
interest which has been manifested in this description of the cabinet
maker's and metal mounter's work during the past ten or fifteen years.
There is evidence of this appreciation in the enormous prices realised at
notable auction sales, when such furniture has been offered for
competition to wealthy connoisseurs.
In order to gain a more correct idea of the design of Furniture of
different periods, it has been necessary to notice the alterations in
architectural styles which influenced, and were accompanied by,
corresponding changes in the fashion of interior woodwork. Such comments
are made with some diffidence, as it is felt that this branch of the
subject would have received more fitting treatment by an architect, who
was also an antiquarian, than by an antiquarian with only a limited
knowledge of architecture.
Some works on "Furniture" have taken the word in its French
interpretation, to include everything that is "movable" in a house; other
writers have combined with historical notes, critical remarks and
suggestions as to the selection of Furniture. The author has not presumed
to offer any such advice, and has confined his attention to a description
of that which, in its more restricted sense, is understood as "Decorative
Furniture and Woodwork." For his own information, and in the pursuit of
his business, he has been led to investigate the causes and the
approximate dates of the several changes in taste which have taken place,
and has recorded them in as simple and readable a story as the
difficulties of the subject permit.
Numerous acts of kindness and co-operation, received while preparing the
work for the press, have rendered the task very pleasant; and while the
author has endeavoured to acknowledge, in a great many instances, the
courtesies received, when noticing the particular occasion on which such
assistance was rendered, he would desire generally to record his thanks to
the owners of historic mansions, the officials of our Museums, the Clerks
of City Companies, Librarians, and others, to whom he is indebted. The
views of many able writers who have trodden the same field of enquiry have
been adopted where they have been confirmed by the writer's experience orresearch, and in these cases he hopes he has not omitted to express his
acknowledgments for the use he has made of them.
The large number of copies subscribed for, accompanied, as many of the
applications have been, by expressions of goodwill and confidence
beforehand, have been very gratifying, and have afforded great
encouragement during the preparation of the work.
If the present venture is received in such a way as to encourage a larger
effort, the writer hopes both to multiply examples and extend the area of
his observations.
F. L. Hanway Street, London, _July_, 1892.
Contents.
Chapter I.
BIBLICAL REFERENCES: Solomon's House and Temple--Palace of Ahashuerus.
ASSYRIAN FURNITURE: Nimrod's Palace--Mr. George Smith quoted. EGYPTIAN
FURNITURE: Specimens in the British Museum--The Workman's
Stool--Various articles of Domestic Furniture--Dr. Birch quoted. GREEK
FURNITURE: The Bas Reliefs in the British Museum--The Chest of
Cypselus--Laws and Customs of the Greeks--House of Alcibiades--Plutarch
quoted. ROMAN FURNITURE: Position of Rome--The Roman House--Cicero's
Table--Thyine Wood--Customs of wealthy Romans--Downfall of the Empire.
Chapter II.
Period of 1000 years from Fall of Rome, A.D. 476, to Capture of
Constantinople, 1453--The Crusades--Influence of Christianity--Chairs
of St. Peter and Maximian at Rome, Ravenna and Venice--Edict of Leo
III. prohibiting Image worship--The Rise of Venice--Charlemagne and his
successors--The Chair of Dagobert--Byzantine character of
Furniture--Norwegian carving--Russian and Scandinavian--The
Anglo-Saxons--Sir Walter Scott quoted--Descriptions of Anglo-Saxon
Houses and Customs--Art in Flemish Cities--Gothic Architecture--The
Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey--Penshurst--French Furniture in
the 14th Century--Description of rooms--The South Kensington
Museum--Transition from Gothic to Renaissance--German carved work: the
Credence, the Buffet, and Dressoir.
Chapter III.
THE RENAISSANCE IN ITALY: Leonardo da Vinci and Raffaele--Church of St.
Peter, contemporary great artists--The Italian Palazzo--Methods of
gilding, inlaying and mounting Furniture--Pietra-dura and other
enrichments--Ruskin's criticism. THE RENAISSANCE IN FRANCE: Francois I.
and the Chateau of Fontainebleau--Influence on Courtiers-Chairs of the
time--Design of Cabinets--M.E. Bonnaffe on The Renaissance--Bedstead of
Jeanne d'Albret--Deterioration of taste in time of Henry IV.--Louis
XIII. Furniture--Brittany woodwork. THE RENAISSANCE IN THE NETHERLANDS:
Influence of the House of Burgundy on Art--The Chimney-piece at Bruges,
and other casts of specimens in South Kensington Museum. THE
RENAISSANCE IN SPAIN: The resources of Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries--Influence of Saracenic Art--High-backed leather
chairs--The Carthusian Convent at Granada. THE RENAISSANCE IN GERMANY:
Albrecht D rer--Famous Steel Chair of Augsburg--German seventeenth�
century carving in St. Saviour's Hospital. THE RENAISSANCE IN ENGLAND:
Influence of Foreign Artists in the time of Henry VIII.--End of
Feudalism--Hampton Court Palace--Linen pattern Panels--Woodwork in the
Henry VII. Chapel at Westminster Abbey--Livery Cupboards at
Hengrave--Harrison quoted--The "parler"--Alteration in English
customs--Chairs of the sixteenth century--Coverings and Cushions of the
time, extract from old Inventory--South Kensington
Cabinet--Elizabethan Mirror at Goodrich Court--Shaw's "Ancient
Furniture"--The Glastonbury Chair--Introduction of Frames into
England--Characteristics of Native Woodwork--Famous Country
Mansions--Alteration in design of Woodwork and Furniture--Panelled
Rooms in South Kensington--The Charterhouse--Gray's Inn Hall and Middle
Temple--The Hall of the Carpenters' Company--The Great Bed of
Ware--Shakespeare's Chair--Penshurst Place.
Chapter IV.
English Home Life in the Reign of James I.--Sir Henry Wootton
quoted--Inigo Jones and his work--Ford Castle--Chimney Pieces in South
Kensington Museum--Table in the Carpenters' Hall--Hall of the Barbers'
Company--The Charterhouse--Time of Charles I.--Furniture at
Knole--Eagle House, Wimbledon--Mr. Charles Eastlake--Monuments at
Canterbury and Westminster--Settles, Couches, and Chairs of the Stuart
period--Sir Paul Pindar's House--Cromwellian Furniture--The
Restoration--Indo-Portuguese Furniture--Hampton Court Palace--Evelyn's
description--The Great Fire of London--Hall of the Brewer