Louis XIV furniture, the first of the notable French styles, was coming into prominence in France while the Jacobean period was flourishing in England.
During the reign of Louis XIV France was ranked first among all the European nations, exerting powerful influence in the areas of art, design, and politics. The surrounding countries fell under these influences. Once Louis XIV ascended to the throne he became a patron of the arts. He induced artists, craftsmen and other designers to come to France from their native countries. They came in droves.
Louis XIV employed many of the best in the royal workshop that had been set up by Jean Baptiste Colbert who was one of the king's ministers. Colbert set up the royal workshop in the Louvre. Additionally, Colbert was one of the king's architects.
Colbert selected Charles LeBrun to be in charge of the royal workshop. LeBrun was a clever artist and designer who designerd furntiure, tapestry, painted pictures and did engraving. Additionally, Charles LeBrun posed as a model for sculptures. The selection of LeBrun was a wise choice by Colbert as he was a competent and proficient head of the royal workshop. The other benefit that Colbert added to the artists and craftsmen of the period was that he arranged for them to be housed in one place.
When Colbert died during the latter stages of the reign of Louis XIV, LeBrun was replaced by artists of lesser skills and inferior abilities. The new artists instituted the Rocco design and created more naturalistic ornamentation. These motifs became the signature of the Louis XIV period. This gave way to curved lines and an off-balance, a mixture of motifs and an appearance that was frustrating as opposed to the straight lines and balanced proportions that preceded it.
Louis XIV enjoyed a long reign, as did Louis XV. Because of the length of the reign of Louis XIV the designs of his era were allowed to grow and reach maximum design unlike the English styles that were often cut short before reaching their pinnacles.
As indicated by the table above, luxury and aggrandizement flourished. Huge sums of money were spent to create the mood and design of the Louis XIV era. The designs were excessive and often not representative of good tastes. Everything was beautiful, not designed to work together, but as an individual piece of furniture or an individual picture frame or picture. At times the showy effect of the furniture appeared gawdy by today's standards.
Although the English designers adapted many of the Louis XIV designs, for the most part they tossed aside most of the superficialities producing a more practical style of furniture.
Aside from the gawdy products produced during the Louis XIV and Louis XV eras, some value can be derived. The styles and the high degree of excellence was brought forward by craftsmen of later styles. New fabrics and patterns were introduced.
Furniture became very feminine in appearance during the Louis XIV era. All three of the French styles began to show a delicacy and refinement that contributed to the feminine appeal. The heaviness of the early Louis XIV style faded into the refinement of pagentry and a finer style before the Louis XV era.
You must log in to post a comment.