Still another model of this style of armchair with spiral rungs and supports, scrolled arms, carved top and leather back and seat, appears on Plate [XXXIV]. This is also a Dutch chair in the Rijks Museum. It is interesting to compare it with another armchair on the same plate. This, of carved oak, turned back posts, front legs of carved heavy scrolls, diagonal connecting rails also formed of heavy scrolls, and scrolled front bar, is an interesting example of an armchair of the Dutch work of the Louis XIV period. The back has a central panel with a scrolled frame, elegantly carved. It is filled with woven cane instead of leather, or other upholstery. The seat is cane also. A chair without arms, which looks as if it might have belonged to the same set, though it is now preserved in the Cluny Museum, Paris, is shown in Plate [XLV]. Another armchair of the same period and general style (see Plate [XXXIII]) has a carved panel filled with cane, cane seat, scrolled arms, turned rails and legs, and carved front bar. Chairs of this fashion were extremely popular in the Low Countries and in England during the second half of the seventeenth century. In all probability, they originated in the Netherlands, and became familiar and favourites with the exiled Cavaliers between 1640 and 1660; and at the Restoration the style was imported into England. However this may be, this well-known carved oak chair, with cane back and seat, is still popularly known as the “Charles II Chair.” A light Dutch model of this type, with elegantly carved front bar, turned rails and posts and scrolled front legs, is shown in Plate [XXXIV]. It has no arms and the back panel is divided into two narrow panels of cane, producing a very light and elegant effect. The scrolls of the feet are much lighter and more graceful than those of the armchair at its side.
An armchair of the same style and period, also from the Rijks Museum, is in the centre on Plate [XXXV].
The central panel of the back is gracefully treated with open carved and turned work. The panel proper is framed with heavy scrolls, and the central bar is pierced and carved with graceful bellflowers running downwards and upwards. This chute of the bell-flower now becomes a very favourite ornamentation in decorative art, and Bérain, Marot and other artists of the period make free use of it. The curved stretchers with the vase ornament in the centre is very characteristic of Dutch, English, and French furniture of the second half of the seventeenth century. It occurs in ordinary tables, dressing-tables, stands for cabinets, and, in fact, every piece of furniture that stands on four legs. The arms and legs consist of the usual scroll, and the feet of carved bulbs.
A chair with the characteristic scrolled stretcher just alluded to occurs on Plate [XXXIII]. It is richly carved, and has turned and carved straight legs, with bulbed feet. The back is a richly carved frame, filled with cane. The top is crowned with delicate ribbon and foliage carving, and the shape of the back is a favourite one for the mirrors of the period. The proportions of the seat, which is stuffed and covered with velvet fastened with small brass nails is quite modern. This chair, however, belongs to the end of the seventeenth century. The affinities between the chairs we have been describing and the designs by Marot, which were so popular in Holland, may be studied in the next chapter.
Plate XXXIII.—Chairs.
RIJKS MUSEUM, AMSTERDAM.
The masters of this school of ornamentation were numerous. Hitherto Flanders has overshadowed the Northern Provinces of the Netherlands in art products; but beginning with De Vries, Holland assumes equal importance. Peter Soutman (Haarlem 1580–1650), was a pupil of Rubens; William Buytenweg worked at Rotterdam; Adrian Muntink was famous in Groningen (circ. 1610); other goldsmiths and engravers, named Laurens, Janss Micker, Geraert van Ryssen, Meinert Gelis, Jacobus van der Tverff, Gerritz Hessel (Amsterdam), Abraham Hecker (Amsterdam), Hendrik de Keyser (Amsterdam), Jacobus Collan (Rotterdam), and Arnold Houbraken (Dordrecht), all flourished during the first half of the seventeenth century. Their motives of garlands, fruits, flowers, human and animal figures, birds, insects, etc., were used in the decoration of sumptuous, carved furniture, and for marquetry and mosaics, as well as for the gold and silver ware of which the nobles and rich merchants were so fond.
Other masters of ornament of the Netherlands of this period, whose works have survived, are Martin van Buten (circ. 1607), Franz Aspruck (circ. 1601), Jacques de Gheyn (circ. 1610), J. B. Barbé (b. 1585), Blondus (1590–1656), Raphael Custode, Michel van Lochon, Henderick Lodeweycke (circ. 1626), André Pauli (circ. 1628).
Following the above, when the style Rubens was giving way to the Decadence, we find Michel Natalis (1609–80), Arthus Quellin (b. 1609), Jacob van Campen (circ. 1660), Peter van den Avont (b. 1619), James Collan (circ. 1650), Arnold Houbraken (d. 1660), L. Hendericks (circ. 1660), Romanus de Hooghe (1638–1718), Gaspard Bouttats, (1640–1703), J. J. Falkema (circ. 1680), Isaac Moucheron (1660–1744), Antony de Winter (circ. 1690), Peter Paul Bouche (circ. 1693), J. Thuys (circ. 1690), J. and F. Harrewyn (circ. 1694), Heinrich van Bein (1689–98), and G. Vischer, Erasmus Kamyn, P. Schentz and M. Heylbrouck, who all worked at the close of the century.
The most extraordinary style of ornamentation employed by the masters of Decorative Art during the seventeenth century is that known as the genre auriculaire. In this, every part of the human ear is used as a decorative motive. The outer rim and lobe had been used long before it was carried to excess. A very early example is shown in the bed dated 1580 on Plate [XI] where auricular curves are plainly recognizable in the carving.