Louis XV style furniture

The style Louis XV

The style Louis XV, before influencing all arts of its time, a pure creation of the cabinetmaker, and more particularly the result of an important technique of projection in the manufacture of the seats. He is the perfect control of the assembly and the resistance of the wood which makes it possible to remove the heavy spacers, to reduce the carcasses and to dare the bent feet.

He is almost always an technical innovation which puts an end to the repetition traditional styles, which makes it possible to explore new forms, and which starts with the appearance of a stylistic revival. That is particularly true for the Gothic style, the style Louis XV and the Art nouveau. Three currents characterized by their curved lines and the acquisition of the control of a material: stone, for the first, wood, for the second, of metal for the third.

The inventors of the style Louis XV are true creators of the modern direction of the term, which revolutionizes the manner of considering furniture and interior decoration.

In much of work one refers to this style under the name of Rocaille, especially when they are complete projects of interior decoration carried out by ornemanists.

Period
The style Louis XV develops especially in the second quarter of the 18th century (approximately 1730 to 1760). He already announces itself in R3egence style and is prolonged during times, in particular in province. He does not coincide approximately with the long reign of the king: 1715-1774. Very daring at the time, he knows a renewal of success in the parts of pieces of furniture manufactured at the end of the 19th century and continuous to inspire rather conventional and insipid production since.

The undulation of the style Louis XV fact places little by little at the rigidity of the majesty of the style Louis XVI during the following period, where one speaks about Transition style.

Before preexistent or styles

     the style Louis XV succeeds R3egence style which is a diagram by the progressive abandonment of the traditional inspiration which prevailed since the Rebirth, and which is let try by the baroque.

The political situation and cultural
Louis XV goes up on the throne to his majority at thirteen years in 1722 succeeding the Duke of Orleans regent since the death of Louis XIV in 1715. The king and his wife, in particular on the condition of maintaining a court and are surrounded artists and craftsmen.

That will last until ostentation in the years 1760, date which marks the end of this style.

Esthetics
Main features

The style Louis XV is a female style, and this for several reasons. It is initially a reaction to the style Louis XIV charged with testosterone, where furniture was to release from the power and force the respect about to become crushing about it. Contrary, here, of furniture is charming, elegant, light and invites more to the relaxation and futilities of the court. Moreover, it is about a furniture in general classified by or for the women, who took under Louis XV an important place at the court, and to make authority with regard to decoration.

This style is characterized by a search of intimacy and comfort. The parts are made smaller and more cordial, less high ceilings, the woodworks are painted unquestionable tons software (pink, cream, colors pastel) and hide many small wall cupboards and the hidden doors.

It is about a style of the invention:

     * The folded Foot is invented there (known under the name of “Foot Louis XV”), which is an evolution of the feet in the shape of legs of animals, but here they are the legs of behind, and one or the other of lion, which are taken as model;
     * For the first time since the Middle Ages, one sees reappearing asymmetry. S Small practices often asymmetrical, but is always balances some, it results an impression from the imagination of this one, without being able to say why to the first blow œ it;
     * One gives the priority to decoration and more still with the useful form, for example on the practice of bronze decorations from one drawer to another until making disappear the intersection between them is prolonged.
     * Furniture is re-examined to occupy all the space of the parts, and either only the periphery as one can still see nowadays, with Versailles. Thus, the back of the files of the seats is done moreover worked.
     * The belt of the seats becomes curved in the plan, but also for the first time of the rise.
     * It is the appearance of the violone file and the file to be converted. (curve in the plan) but one always uses the file with the queen (on the right in the plan), violone or not.

Ornamentation
It is the reign of the ornemanists, new trade of the ancestor of the decorators. They create, including all the great projects of interior decoration. Since the fresco with the plinths of the pieces of furniture which will have to be in perfect harmony. With silence, stuccos and paintings.

The pieces of furniture Louis XV are cut and assembled in bronzes of style debris, i.e. Coquille S with the opening of foliages provided and very detailed of rolling of completion in itself (see for example the end of the supports of convertible armrests of armchairs).

The human and animal figures are abandoned with the profit of the vegetable world. Marquetry S are initially abandoned with the profit of frisages or the beauty of the gasoline (amaranth, glossed, Bois de rose and purple…) carries, then to return to the mode as from 1745 with representations of bouquets of flower and/or musical instruments (on the furniture of the court), and are very provided and very coloured.

The seats are furnished with flowers with silk trades, and are often entirely gilded.

The pieces of furniture are often decorated with panels with lacquer S with the Far East. Research aiming at imitating these lacquers stimulates the rise of the lacquer (Martin Varnish).

Furniture
Pieces of furniture emblematic of the style Louis XV
Furniture is especially composed of small parts of furniture. The pieces of furniture manufactured are:

• Convenient-louis-xv with 2,3 or 4 drawers
• Office-louis-xv
• Shepherdess-Louis-xv, convertible-Louis-xv
• Pedestal table-Louis-xv
• Table-with-play-louis-xv