History 1 RKT: Middle English Renaissance

The Middle Renaissance lasted from 1600-1750. This was the time of Restoration, Stuart or Carolean Period, during Charles II and James II's reign, William and Mary, the age of walnut, Queen Anne, and Early Georgian, George I and portion of George II's reign, and Early Chippendale.

Historical Setting of Cromwellian/Restoration:

Property was destroyed during the Mid 17th century English Civil War. King Charles I was executed in 1649.
The Cromwell puritan leader reigned for 11 years. This was a very austere period, with no architecture of any consequence. England was considered Puritan.
In 1660 Charles II came to reign. There were strong ties to Holland and France and Louis XIV.

The Great Fire of 1666:

A large section of London was burned. Sir Christopher Wren set new standards of design- Baroque Urban design- after everything was destroyed. The design was greatly influenced by the French, in particular, Bernini, and Mansart building palaces and chateaux.

Sir Christopher Wren:

Wren developed new standards for housing, such as wall thickness, floor heights, and materials (bricks) were specified. He also started zoning and construction regulations.
He was the most renowned English architect of all time. His masterpiece is St. Paul's Cathedral. He designed 52 churches, which have influenced other church designs. However, he designed protestant churches as opposed to catholic churches.

Historical Setting of William and Mary:

The Revocation of Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV denied equality to protestants. This lead to many french furniture designers fleeing to England. This then completed the continual style of Baroque. This type of Baroque design had the general outlines of Baroque but without the elaborate detailing in French furniture.
The period began when Mary Stuart married a dutch husband William III. There were new standards for furniture, in particular, comfort. Beautiful furniture became available to the masses. Upholstery appeared for the first time. and English oak wood replaced the use of walnut.
William and Mary chairs had straight turned legs or cup turned legs. There was a low, horizontal X-stretcher. The curved cross stretcher was popular. Ball feet, or Ball and Claw feet were below the stretcher. Veneers were perfected during this time, and marquetry and lacquer work was popular. There was an oriental influence. Fabrics used were velvet, brocade, chintz, leather, and needlepoint.

Historical Setting of Queen Anne:

The 18th century was the golden age of English cabinetwork. This was a prosperous time. Queen Anne was neither influential or interested in design during this period. There were developments in social living such as tea and coffee drinking and parlor games of chance.
There were simpler interiors of this time. Walls were adorned with silk or paper. William Kent designed with Palladian concepts and Baroque furniture styles. He was a painter, architect, and designer. He spent 10 years in Italy. He was the first English architect to design furniture for specific interiors. His style can be classified as large scale classical decoration.
The influence of English trade with China resulted in original Chinese furniture, lacquer, Chinese porcelain, corner display cabinets designed for porcelain, the habit of drinking tea, and small tea tables, many of which had tilt tops.
Mahogany was the choice of wood. It was imported rom Cuba and Santo Domingo. It was easier to work with than walnut. It is firmer and has less difference in grain. Its easier to carve. It absorbs polish more easily and is available in wider boards, which was used without veneering, and therefore less expensive to use. The middle years of the 18th century was the age of mahogany.
Design typically featured silk, linen, crewel, and embroidery.
The principle characteristics were curved lines as a dominating motif, Chinese forms in the structure of furniture, lacquer as a finish, feminine and graceful, cabriole legs, stretchers started to be eliminated, and furniture was smaller, lighter and more comfortable.
The cabriole leg looks like an elongated S cute and was a major line in the 18th century. It looks like an animal leg on ancient furniture. It is found on some Chinese furniture. It was Modeled after the goat's leg, and in french the word means "leap of a goat".
The most notable design is the chair. It has a distinctive back and leg shape, the splat from seat to the crest is distinctive, and there is no carving, the beauty is in the wood. The general outline is oriental in nature, negative shape resembles a pair of parrots, and the seat is padded.
Chairs were usually slender and braces with H stretcher, which was later eliminated. The carving of the knee was scallop or shell, or acanthus leaf. The most popular foot is the claw and ball, which originates in China, and is known as a dragon's paw holding a pearl.
The wing chair, or drought chair, was unchanged for 250 years. The card top table could be folded in half. The surface was plain or embroidered cloth. Each corner had a round depression for candlesticks, and the center of each side is an oval depression for money.

Chippendale, Adam, Hepplewhite, and Sheraton

These four furniture designers revolutionized the furniture industry in the realms of design, publications, and business practices.
Thomas Chippendale

He was the first man, not a reigning monarch, to give his name to a furniture style. He published several books of furniture designs "The Gentlemen and Cabinet Maker's Director" in 1754. He is one of the best known names in furniture design. His signed furniture is very rare. He is known for variety and depth style. He was very prosperous.
The Chippendale style refers to furniture of several design persuasions made between 1740-1770. Rococo was the prevalent style but was influenced by Orient and Medieval design.
The Chippendale chair has some attributes that are similar to Queen Anne. Its splat is pierce and often carved in a fanciful design. The most elaborate is the ribband-back, which looks like ribbon bows with flying ends. The splat might look like Chinese frets, Gothic tracery or other designs. It may have a ball and claw or a scroll foot. The cabriole legs were heavier with more pronounced curve and were more elaborately carved with shells, acanthus leaves or volutes. The legs are pierced and carved with bamboo clusters, open fretwork, or tracery. Stretchers were often added to straight legged chairs. The seats were often padded with the seat frames or rails covered with fabric. It often had ears and a high center and had a traditional yoke shape similar to the pagoda roof on the Chinese chairs. The ladder on the back of the chairs were also popular.
Chippendale furniture was a mixture of styles evident in secretary, bookcase, and breakfronts. They were classical in general form with Chinese or Gothic detail. There are often serpentine fronts and large pieces had broken pediments. The furniture was gilded in the salon, and made of mahogany wood for pieces in the hall, dining room, and library, and lacquered in the bedroom. Fabrics used were tapestry (French was the best), needlework, Spanish leather, Damask, and brocade.

Past Examples: