QUEEN ANNE

When William passes away the throne passes to his sister in law Queen Anne. She was not interested in fashion and design so was not making tremendous changes in English style. Thus, the Aristocracy took lead in determining style, which is a continuation of William and Mary. France is Catholic and has an absolute Monarch. Italy is a Catholic country. Catholics embraced the Rococo, while the absolute Monarch softened in France. Comparatively England does not fully embrace the Rococo.

The Queen Anne interior is characterized by the William and Mary style with cabriole legs that do not have stretchers. Furthermore, the Cabriole leg is still almost straight. The knee is not prominent. Pad footing is prevalent. Rooms are darker due to the choice of the furnishing. Moreover, there is very little painted furniture. Furniture is usually maple and mahogany.

England has primary trade with China, importing tea in exchange for various furniture forms. For example, the Hoop Back, Chinese chairs. The front has cabriole legs with little bit of carving, thin ankle with out turned foot. The centre has shell carving.

The Wing Chair is Queen Anne style and takes form during this time to become a popular item. Rolled arms and wings take on all types of sculptural forms. Cabriole legs can be seen with pad footing and a stretcher. The Queen Anne Tallboy and the Queen Anne Lowboy have Cabriole legs which are tall and slender ending with pad feet. Graduated drawers are seen as you move up the piece and the drawers become smaller. Curvilinear form is typical of Queen Anne. The shield shape stretches out horizontally. There is no applied ornament and no carving. These pieces are also characterized by the quality of the wood and grain of wood.

The Secretary bookcases in Queen Anne style have double hooded tops and shaped door panels which are shaped to go up in hood form. The footing is in Bracket or Bun form. Chandeliers are brass, utilitarian and mirrors are shaped. The building on the frames bring more light into the room. Tea drinking is a prominent past time thus tea stands, pie crust rimmed, small tables become important pieces of furniture.

EARLY GEORGIAN

George I is a German King. The Aristocracy is not friendly towards this new German King. Thus, the Aristocracy takes the responsibility to establish a National style. Interest in the Palladian is revived. George I Armchairs and Side chairs include more vigorous carving, with a more sculptural element. Claw ball feet are also used. Back legs are splayed. The front is an accentuated knee with intricate carving. The shell motif or acanthus leaf are used as embellishments on the feet. Slip seats and shaped splats become prominent. Splats are in vase form. Spoon backs also can be seen.

The Ogee foot form used is more of a curve compared to the bracket foot. Drop-leaf tables in semi circular forms can be seen. Marlborough and straight legs are used.

George II Gaming Tables having folding tops thus can be easily stored away. George II bookcase becomes prominent due to extensive interest in travel, learning and collecting of books.

The Chiswick House attributed to Lord Burlington with William Kent in the Early Georgian Period is Neo Palladian style. It is based on the Villa Rotunda with a dome in the centre. It has a symmetrical quality with a rusticated base. The interior is symmetrical. This structure is part of a group of buildings where Lord Burlington resides. The garden looks natural but is planned. The interior is classicism from the Palladio era. The rectangular shape is strongly defined by architectural detail. Ceiling is coffered and planned to hold large canvases. Lord Burlington owns a wonderful collection of paintings. Half circle thermae windows are also prominent in this structure. The apses have coiffured ceilings. The niches have classical statues and pediments are heavy Classical garlands, swags and dentilation are all borrowed from classicism. 

The Chiswick House Velvet Room is another example of Early Georgian style.  

The Holkham Hall, 1734-64, is another Early Georgian, Neo-Palladian structure reflecting Inigo jones. The plan for which comes out of Palladio’s work. There are four wings and a central building. There is a protruding front and the side has Palladian windows. 

The Marble Hall in the Holkham Hall is designed by William Kent. The ceiling is a harmonious rhythm characterized by coffering. 

The Saloon ceiling is like a box with a double height space. There is a ponderous pediment in the frame around the door. The velvet interior communicates a strong statement about the architectural elements of the space.

The bedroom is deeply rich and colour is carried throughout the rooms. The bed is characterized by a high tester, walls are covered with tapestry, the doorways and fireplaces have prominent characteristics of classicism. The cornice is heavy and turn figures are placed at the fireplace. The aggressive carving is gilt.

Ditchley Park designed by James Gibbs, in 1722 for Earl of Litchfield, is in temple form, charactertized by rich heavy interiors and was used for displaying artwork.

Houghton Hall, Early Georgina,  Neo-Palladian begun in 1722 – the facade has Palladian windows, centre has pedimented temple facade. Interior in central hall is characterized by weighty sculptural cornices and which are prominently carved. Doors with pronounced pediments. The Houghton Hall Saloon exemplifies a remarkable ceiling with frescos providing heroism. Furthermore, walls in velvet textile are also used on chairs, providing a prominent aesthetic. 

William Kent chairs include classical masks on leg knees, hairy paw feet, prominent shell in the centre of the apron in front with slanting styles. William Kent furniture has an ascending quality and is fully upholstered. For example, above the headboard designed by him, resides a double scallop shell upholstered in silk velvet. He creates Neo-Palladian sofas with a prominent crest railing. 

Matthias Locke was another furniture designer and cabinet maker who designed in Neo-Palladian style console tables; similar to Wiliam Kent.

The Breakfront Bookcase is attributable to Wiliam Vile, in Neo-Palladian style it is characterized by a prominent cornice and a centre which projects out.

LATE GEORGIAN 

This style reigns from 1760, through Neoclassicism and Robert Adams. Neoclassicism changes as it picks up on the delicate features of French interiors, eliminating dark wood and panels. Robert Adams is responsible for the Demi-lune commode inspired by Pompeii and Herculaneum.  

The Kedleston Hall, 1759, designed by Paine and Brettingham is inspired by the Palladian Villa. There is stong influence by Neo-Palladianism. Interiors are multicoloured, light, delicate and three-dimensional but not bold. Contrasting pastels can be seen. Sofas were upholstered in the same textiles as the wall. Robert Adam moves away from the heaviness of Palladianism. One example of a piece of furniture of this era is the Dolphin Sofa, attributed to Robert Adam and designed by John Linnell.

Osterley Park, 16th century Elizabethan architecture was remodelled by Robert Adam. The Great Hall is a pale blue with architectural detail in white. The ceiling is divided into geometric forms and the ceiling is reflected to the floor.  Four urns and niches can be seen with Neo-Classical stature. The library uses white throughout its interior to tie everything together. Neutral tones dominate with a breakfront form and pediments over the central bays. The Tapestry room has cartoons by Boucher, the ceiling remains neoclassical and is light blue. The Etruscan Room, uses ancient wall treatment from Pompeii, Herculaneum and the ceiling is tied to the walls. The neutral tone is contrasted with robin egg blue which then makes the room cheerful. 

Thomas Chippendale is one of the most well known cabinet makers in the second half of the 18th century. The State bedroom has walls gathered in textile. These rooms do not have prominent chandeliers. The Syon House, is also remodelled and the Great Hall has subtle coloration and as light moves colours change. Classical architectural elements include a screen at the end of the room cutting off the room from the apse like area. Geometric coffering on the ceiling is reflected on the telework in the floor. The Anteroom has rich coloration. 

The Kenwood house has a rectangular room which ends with apses that also end with colonnades. Robert Adam’s furniture is heavier and more sculptural than his interiors. The Saltram House also remodelled by Robert Adam had a Palladian window, chandeliers with changed form, elongated, elegant with soft curves down to disk form with semi circular quality. Robert Adam had is own stylization of fireplaces and mirrors. His mirrors were adorned with garlands acanthus leaves which were delicate and spindly, a tell-tale of his style. Wedgewood basalt (stoneware) was also introduced during this era. 

THREE IMPORTANT FURNITURE MAKERS – LATE GEORGIAN 

Chippendale – most well known. Publishes the Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director, which is distributed throughout England, America and English Colonies changing the way furniture is made. Some of his styles include the Ribbon Back Chairs and the Ribbon Back Settee. He quotes from the wall treatment with linear pattern. Some iterations from Chippendale include the Chinese Chippendale and Gothic Chippendale.

Hepplewhite was responsible for the introduction of the Shield Back Chair. The Oval Back Chair back and the Prince of Whales Ostrich Chair.  His style is characterized by fine, delicate, oval and circle shapes. Hepplewhite introduces his own stylizations of the settee which are characterized by straight legs and spade feet. 

Sheraton is a cabinet maker and upholsterer who introduces his own drawing book. His styles are rectangular and Neoclassical. 

Information courtesy of New York School of Interior Design “Historical Styles 1” Class