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| About Beidermeier Style | |||||||||||||||
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In a Europe ravaged and financially
devastated by the Napoleonic wars, the simpler, less ornate styles
emerged. "Mr. Biedermeier " was neither a cabinetmaker nor a
famous designer. The style was named after a good-natured cartoon
figure, Papa Biedermeier — "bieder" means "plain"
in German.
The Biedermeier style was derived from neoclassical imperial French Empire and spread through Germany, Austria and Scandinavia from 1815 to 1848. Stylized flora and fauna motifs, elegant, but simple, porcelains and glassware, richly veneered furniture of restrained classical lines in light-colored native woods characterize the style, a forerunner of the cleanly elegant Modern Movements. True Biedermeier is Austro- Hungarian furniture made during the first half of the 19th century. Revival periods include 1860, late 19th Century and again in the 1920s. Biedermeier is often called precursor of Art Deco style. However, it should not be confused with Art Deco, as the Art Deco period occurred a century later! Motifs: Various motifs were popular among producers of the Biedermeier style. Simple forms of swans, dolphins, sphinx, lion paws, acanthus, garlands and other empire-like motifs were used. Carving was used sparingly for executing reeded lines and classical accents. The geometric and neoclassical elements from previous periods (such as columns) were adopted for aesthetic purposes, decorating the sides of pieces in alabaster or ebonized wood. The elements of classical architecture, such as pediments, arches, domes, columns, cornices, and molding enhanced the simple clean lines of many pieces. The lyre was also a popular element, often used for decoration, as chair back splats or as supports for small writing tables and jardinières. Typically, drawers did not have pulls. They were opened by keys for their respective locks. The simple molded bases and crowns of chests and secretaries, the sleek tapered legs of chairs with open, gracefully curved backs, and massive sofas with their exaggerated lines and rolled arms all typify details of the style.Woods: Since rare woods such as mahogany were scarce, due to wars, tariffs, and slow transportation , Biedermeier furniture was usually made of fruitwoods such as maple, cherry and pearwood, as well as ash, elm, walnut, and birch — available where Biedermeier style was produced. But due to the variety of woods used in Biedermeier furniture, it is impossible to identify the style simply by color or contrast alone. A light-colored piece of furniture which has black trim is not always a Biedermeier piece. Veneers: Elaborately patterned wood grains such as burl-grain veneers, as well as crotched and butterfly patterned grains were used when available. The pieces were typically finished with a technique known as French Polish, which imparts a water-like glossy shine. This labor-intensive method requires repeated applications of a mixture of oils and shellac followed by circular buffing done entirely by hand. Shapes: During the early years between 1815 and 1830, pieces tended to be more architectural. In the later years of Biedermeier from 1830 to 1848, pieces tended to become more curved.
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