CHARTS SHOWING HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF FURNITURE
LOUIS XIV, 1643 to { Compressed regularity { Straight, square, 1715 { giving way in { grooved and very Key-note { reaction to a { squat cabriole The Grand { ponderous ugliness. { legs. Audience Rooms { {
THE REGENCY AND { The Reign of Woman. { Cabriole legs of a LOUIS XV, 1715 to { { perfect lightness 1774 { { and grace. Key-note { { The Boudoir { {
{ The transition style { Legs tapering { between the Bourbon { straight, rounded { Interior Decoration { and grooved. A { and that of { few square-grooved { the "Directorate" { legs and LOUIS XVI, 1774 to { and "Empire," { a few graceful, 1793 { characterised by a { slender cabriole Key-note { return to the classic { legs. The Salon _Intime_ { line which reflects { { a more serious turn { { of mind on part of { { the Nation in an age { { of great mental { { activity. {
{ Classic lines. { Classic decorations with subjects taken from { Greek mythologies. { Winged figures, emblems of liberty; antique { heads of helmeted warriors, made like { medallions, wreaths, lyres, torches, { rosettes, etc. { Besides the wonderful mounts of Ormoulu, { designed by the great sculptors and painters { of the period, there was a great deal { of fine brass inlaying. { Antique vases taken from ancient tombs were THE FIRST EMPIRE, { placed in recesses in the walls of rooms NAPOLEON I, 1804 { after the style of the ancient "Columbaria." to 1814 { Every effort was made to surround Napoleon I { with the dignity and austere sumptuousness { of a great Roman Emperor. As we have said, { he had been in Rome and he had been in Egypt; { the art of the French Empire was reminiscent { of both. Napoleon would outstrip the other { conquerors of the world. { Some Empire furniture shows the same fine { turning which characterizes Jacobean furniture { of both oak and walnut periods. We refer to { the round, not spiral, turning. See legs of { Empire sofa on which Madame Récamier reclines { in the well-known portrait by David (Louvre).
{ Gothic, through 14th Century. THE OAK PERIOD { Renaissance, 16th Century. (including early { Elizabethan, 16th Century. Jacobean) { Jacobean or Stuart, 17th Century; James I, { Charles I and II, and James II, 1603-1688.