France is known for its innovation in style and fashion in every century. French antiques are highly decorative, elaborate and pompous. Great emphasis was placed on embellishment and display.
French antique furniture consisted both the sophisticated furniture made in Paris for the royalty, aristocrats and rich upper bourgeoisie on one hand, and French provincial furniture made in towns that retained the local cultural identity. The rural France had artisans who made furniture that spoke of rural culture, and this remained unbroken until the advent of railroads in the mid nineteenth century. All French antique furniture is renowned for its refinement and rich materials and fetches premium prices in auctions.
The
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw a revolution in manufacturing industries. This was evident in the increase in furniture production and popularity of this furniture warehouses around the world. The popular during this time were antique French chandeliers, commodes, tables, chairs and armoires.
French antique furniture can be broadly divided into Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classical revival, rustic and modern periods.
Renaissance furniture has a highly developed art of wood carving with a boldness and ornamentation marking the uniqueness of Renaissance period. This is somewhat coarse when compared to the more delicate Italian embroidery lace which is intricate and minute. The Baroque style furniture has its origin in Italian painting and architecture of the seventeenth century. This furniture, also called "Late Baroque," is an 18th century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly more ornate, florid, and playful.
In the late eighteenth century furniture designers again took to the heritage of the ancient Greece and roman techniques. This period was aptly named as Classical Revival period with the old classic designs getting a revival.
The most popular in the French vintage furniture is the antique chair that has a patterned cushion with a cushioned back. Dining chairs and Lounge chairs were typically made this way. Pink colored cushions with dark wood were considered a great combination.
About Author:
Inessa Stewart, the owner of
Inessa Stewart's Antiques & Interiors, lives and breathes
French antiques. Her passion for all things antique is known all over the world. From a small gallery to the largest importer of European antiques in the USA, she has scaled great heights in the world of antiques.
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