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French Antiques: Monarchs, Periods and Styles of Decorative Arts
Compiled by Dr. Terry Gross, Urban Chateau

INTRODUCTION
When identifying the periods or styles of French antiques one has only to identify the characteristics of design specific to the reigns of the Kings of France. The periods in French furniture design follow the time periods associated directly with the reign of a particular King in the 17th and 18th Centuries and also relate to sovereign and revolutionary governmental periods in the 19th Century. When a particular piece is actually made during the Reign of the King, often with a stamp of a known cabinetmaker, it is the most valuable and is referred to as a PERIOD piece or for example a LOUIS XV TABLE. If the piece is made with the same style characteristics prevalent in the Louis XV style yet at a time after the King's Reign it is identified as a table IN THE STYLE OF LOUIS XV. The following tabulation briefly identifies the French periods and the primary characteristics of design for each.

GOTHIC PERIOD (1100-1500)
French style taking significant influence from the Medieval church architecture. Characterized by segmented arches (pointed), flying buttresses, open tracery and vertical grandiose emphasis. Oak was used almost exclusively as was wrought iron used for hinges, locks and handles. All ornamental themes were of religious inspiration. Figure compositions depict scenes from the Gospels. The most characteristic pieces are rectangular chests mounted on four to six feet with highly carved front panels. Chairs were regarded as prestige pieces and consisted of a chest surmounted by a high back with two arms.

FRANCIS I (FRANCOIS) (1515-1547) RENAISSANCE PERIOD
Builder of the Chateaus of Blois, Chambord and Fontainebleau. In them the Renaissance had its greatest French expression. A mingling of flamboyant Gothic and Italian Renaissance ornament. Walnut and oak were the favored woods which were rich and profusely carved or inlaid. The buffet is the most characteristic furniture type and features rich sculptural ornament such as caryatids, pilasters and figural elements of pagan inspiration. (Note, this style of furniture was imitated and mass-produced between 1860 and 1900.)

LOUIS XIII (1610-1643)
Initial Baroque style that incorporates rich carved details such as cartouches, gilding and spiral turning. Monumental, furniture of the times reflected a rich imperialism. The names of the period are the greats in their fields: Mazarin, Moliere, Corneille, Rubens, Descartes and Pascal. A period of great power that brought the High Renaissance to a vivid climax. Walnut and ebony were the principal woods. Panels, columns and pilasters of semiprecious stones were introduced as well as tortoiseshell and gilt bronze. The bureau was introduced and cabinets of all sizes and purposes. Tables with expanding tops were also new as well as nailhead trim on upholstered chairs.

LOUIS XIV (1643-1715)
The style was symmetrical and distinctly Baroque. Greatest period of French achievement. "Sun King's Reign" noted for the splendor of the courts in Versailles and Paris. Marquetry inlaid furniture distinguished by opulence and grandiose size. Outstanding cabinetmakers of the times were Boulle, Oppenhord, Cucci, Caffieri, Peter Golle. It is significant that these are not French names but Italian, Flemish, and Dutch yet the product was distinctly French. Everything was completely symmetrical, the straight line and balance predominating. Woods were rich and varied. The simple oak, walnut and even ebony lacked magnificence. Holly, box, pear and other woods were preferred. Boulle perfected marquetry and bronze appliqu�s were used on the whole piece. The "Chinese" taste became the rage first with porcelains and finally in lacquer.

REGENCE PERIOD (1715-1723)
French transitional period during which France was ruled by a Regent, Philippe d'Orl�ans, because the next in line for the throne, Louis XV, was too young to rule. This was a transitional period in furniture design gradually changing from the Baroque to the Rococo. One of the most beautiful of French periods.

LOUIS XV (1723-1774)
The style was asymmetric and distinctly Rococo. Ornaments were drawn from nature, shells, flowers, leaves, pastoral objects, baskets and musical instruments. The Rococo exuberance replaced the symmetry and soberness of the Baroque replacing boldness with dainty scale, free naturalistic ornament, rounded surfaces and flowing lines. Symmetry was avoided at all cost. In plan or elevation no piece of furniture was permitted straight lines, only flowing lines. Marquetry and inlay assumed primary importance using rosewood, satinwood, amaranth and tulipwood. Painted furniture with gilt accents grew in demand through the middle of the Reign. Metal appliqu�s were universal and the costliest pieces were decorated by this means. Tables all shared a common element-the cabriole leg. Furniture of comfort became popular such as the chaise longue and larger sofas.

LOUIS XVI (1774-1792)
The new style initially Transitional from1750 reverted exclusively back to the use of straight lines, symmetry and recalled all of the forms of the classical style; beads, ovolo, urns, and patera were the motifs. The discovery of Pompei brought antiquity back into fashion. Legs on furniture became straight and fluted. The backs of seating furniture held to simple geometric shapes such as oval, rectangular and medallion shaped. The design was elegant and understated. Georges Jacob became the celebrated cabinet maker of the period. Rosewood, tulipwood and others were combined in geometric patterns of marquetry on rectangular bureaus and commodes. Black-and-gold lacquer was popular and much of the painted surfaces were of grayish-white and gray-green tones. The period relates to the Neoclassical style of other European countries.

DIRECTOIRE (1789-1804)
French style used to designate three periods of government directly following the French Revolution: Revolution 1789-1795, Directoire 1793-1799, Consulate 1799-1804. Directoire was a simpler design with straight lines speciously adorned with symbols of the Revolution; arrows, pikes, triangles, wreaths were the motif of the day. Straight lines with restrained classic double curves; the swan, lyre and stars were the index of decorative motifs. Woods were more often painted, native fruitwood, walnut, and oak than mahogany.

CONSULATE (1799-1804)
Napoleon's term as First Consul. The style continued the Directoire manner up to the development of the Empire.

EMPIRE (1804-1814)
A French style intended to clearly express the imperial majesty of Napoleonic France. Neoclassic in style it was inspired by the decorative motifs and characteristics of Greco-Roman models and characterized as "spare, noble and massive". Mahogany, rosewood and ebony were the rule with brass or gilt mounts in the form of swags, festoons, wreaths of laurel, torches, mythological figures and the Napoleonic emblems of the bee, the crown and the letter "N". Later, sphinxes and other Egyptian figures were used after Napoleon conquered Egypt.

RESTORATION PERIOD (1815-1830)
After the fall of Napoleon's Empire, the brother of Louis XVI became Louis XVIII who was in turned replaced by another brother Charles X. Neither greatly affected the trends in design except for a romantic movement in Orientalism. In 1830, Louis-Philippe ended the succession.

LOUIS-PHILIPPE (1830-1848)
This French era marked the transition from the declining Restoration style to the exuberance of the mid 19th century Industrial Revolution. Generally, taste reverted to characteristics from the medieval and renaissance borrowings as well as distorted imitations of the Louis XV style. The duplication of styles was made easier by the early machine process.

NAPOLEON III PERIOD (1852-1870)
This French period also known as the SECOND EMPIRE mainly plagiarized the 18th century styles often combining more than one period characteristics into one piece of furniture. A period of artistic ferment and opulence marked in furniture by an over rich mixture of Rococo and Renaissance design. The materials of this period favored dark woods such as mahogany, Brazilian rosewood, darkened pearwood and mother of pearl, tortoiseshell and pewter inlays. Nesting tables, revolving bookcases and tub chairs are all introduced. Corresponds to the Victorian era in England.