Know Everything About Some Popular Furniture Designer and Their Designs
We are going
to see more designs and types of furniture, which came up into
prominence in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Some of these
people were very influential and powerful as well. They were the
Adams, the Hepplewhite, and the Sheraton, King William IV and the
early Victorian. They encouraged their own styles of furniture.
Later Georgian
Adam,
Hepplewhite and Sheraton (1770-1810) a number of styles succeeded and
partially overlapped each other during these years.
Adam
The Adam
brothers, Robert and James, were primarily architects, but their
interest in design did not stop with the building itself. Not only
did they plan the layout of their mansions, but usually they decided
the decoration and coloring of the principal rooms and the furniture
to go in them. Their work was inspired by ancient Greek and Roman
art, and most of their decorative ideas were borrowed from those
sources. The honeysuckle (anthemion), the ram's head and hoof, and
garlands of husks are typical features. The work of the Adams was
carried out between 1760 and 1790 and many of their designs for furniture
were actually made by Thomas Chippendale's firm.
Hepplewhite
George
Hepplewhite was a cabinet-maker whose business was run later by
his widow, who published a book of his designs. These show pieces of
simple form and small size; one of the most noticeable is perhaps the
chair with a heart-shaped or a shield-shaped back. Sometimes the
shield holds a pierced and carved Prince-of-Wales feather.
Sheraton
Thomas
Sheraton published his first book of patterns in 1791. His designs
show furniture that is much more slender in line than hitherto, and
he led a return to the use of" inlay; with this his name seems
to be linked inseparably. Inlay often took the form of cross banding
and stringing, and a common feature was an oval shell of satiriwood,
scorched to imitate shading. After about 1800, square legs were
replaced by turned ones with reeding. Sheraton's
most characteristic chairs have rectangular backs with horizontal
bars. Use was made of satinwood, as well as the more general
mahogany, either painted or inlaid or left quite plain.
Regency (1800-1820)
The Regency
style is a combination of at least three, or any one may be found
alone in apiece made during the period. The three principal styles
are, Greek and Roman: figures of mythological gods and goddesses, the
lyre (used as the shape of table-ends),
the lion's-paw foot.
Egyptian:
sphinxes, Egyptian heads and feet as tops and bases of columns; crocodiles.
Chinese:
Chinese patterns, shapes and colors; of which the contents of the
Pavilion at Brighton are outstanding examples.
All types of
unusual woods were used, as well as mahogany,
and there was frequent use of brass for inlay and gilt bronze for
mounts. Chairs were smaller in size than in earlier periods, which
explain why they are so very popular today. Early Regency
chairs had legs shaped like a curved sword (the saber, after
which they are named), but later they were turned.
William IV and
Early Victorian (1820-1840)
Much of this
furniture can be confused with that made earlier in the Regency
period. Although many of the designs are similar, they were carried
out in a much heavier manner, and chairs, tables and other pieces are
coarser and clumsier in appearance. The saber leg was no longer used,
and almost all furniture had turned supports, often tapered and carved.
Every artist
gets inspiration from different sources. The Adams were inspired by
the ancient Greek and Roman art. One of the most noticeable works of
George Hepplewhite is perhaps the chair
with a heart-shaped or a shield-shaped back. Sheraton's most
characteristic chairs have rectangular backs with horizontal bars. |
