A kindred article is represented in the upper right-hand corner of Plate [XLVIII.] This is a breakfast table made by Carlin and Patrat. It is now in the South Kensington Museum.
Desks or bureaux, like the commodes, became heavier and approached the sarcophagus in shape. The rolltop cylinder was the most popular design. One of these is represented on Plate [XLVII.], No. 4. The cabinet was also in use, and sometimes it was constructed especially for the corner of a room. A corner cabinet is shown on Plate [XLVII.], No. 1, with its panel inlaid with a floral design, and its grooved column at the side that is of the vase shape, and supports a small urn with a burning torch. It was considered proper to place a vase on the top of the cabinet. The tall vase was greatly used as a decoration, and was placed not only on cabinet and pier-table, but a pedestal was frequently provided for it. (See Plate [XLIII.])
Another specimen of a cylinder desk is represented on Plate [XLIV.] It is in the style of Riesener, and is made of mahogany with delicately chased metal trimmings. The frieze is a combination of scrolls, griffins and leaves; the panels of the doors and the cylinder are also bordered with metal; the foot is encased in a metal leaf; and the key-plates are ornately worked. The legs and pilasters are grooved. The top is covered with a marble slab surmounted by an open-worked metal gallery.
The seats differ greatly from those of the former period. In these, the curved outline entirely vanishes. During the transitional period, the feet are of the console outline, ending in a scroll or shell, or peg-top shape that succeeded the leaf shoe; and before the medallion was used for the back of the chair frame, the violin shape was employed. The next change was a sort of projecting square, then the shape of the handle of a basket, until the form is reached that shows a perfect square between two straight columns, each ending in a steeple ornament and making a kind of frame for the covering. (See Plates [XLVI.] and [XLVIII.]) The small arm-chairs were called cabriolets, but the frames of each were similarly ornamented with beads, winding ribbons, laurel leaves, etc. The richest chairs had a carved and gilt ornament in the centre of the top rail, usually a bow of ribbon, a bouquet of flowers, or a garland of small blossoms or leaves.
Plain woods, such as mahogany, walnut, or amaranth, are often used for the frames, but far more universal is the use of wood carved and gilded, or carved and painted according to fancy. Some mahogany and rosewood arm-chairs are brightened by the application of chased and gilded bronze ornaments. The upholsterers of the day furnished the chairs with round, flattened or half round cushions. The projection of the back cushion was regulated by the material with which it was covered, so that the latter should be exhibited to its best advantage. Many arm-chairs had removable cushions that fit into the frame of the chair. The cushions were sometimes tufted.
PLATE XLVII
The old damask of the past used for furniture coverings now gave place to figured and embroidered satin, the designs representing birds, vases full of flowers, Cupids, quivers smothered with garlands of flowers, a bouquet held by a bunch of ribbon, and, finally, stripes. The tones were light: two colours, one of which in two or three shades, were often employed, the favourites being pale blue, rose, yellow, lilac and grey. The manufactories of the Gobelins, of Beauvais and Aubusson produced the same designs and pictures in their tapestries which were in great vogue for chairs and sofas. Garlands, shepherds and shepherdesses, subjects from Boucher and Fragonard and trophies were reproduced most exquisitely upon light backgrounds. Persian, Chinese and Polish subjects witness how the decorators tried to study the designs of foreign and Oriental countries. The stamped velvets of Utrecht had smaller patterns and very frequently were striped. Braids were of innumerable varieties, and tassels and ball-fringe were universally used for trimmings. Arm-chairs were ornamented also with festoons of drapery, and were called fauteuils à la polonaise, à la turque, à la chinoise, and in all probability matched the beds and sofas of these names. Radel, De Lalonde, Salembier, and others give many designs of the draped arm-chair. Typical chairs are represented on Plates [XLVI.] and [XLVIII.] The arm-chairs on Plate [XLVI.] are by De Lalonde. Nos. 2 and 3 are drawings of the same chair, No. 2, showing the correct projection of the cushion of the back, which was a subject of so much study. No. 5 is a “voyelle,” also by De Lalonde. The plan of its seat appears as No. 4. No. 2 on Plate [XLVIII.] is an arm-chair of walnut and gold. The arm-chairs for the desk were made of mahogany, or painted wood. They were of the gondola form, and were supplied with cushions for the back and seat, which were not unfrequently of cane. The third foot placed directly in front now seems to have been given up. The fauteuil bergère still belongs to the drawing-room, but its lines are straighter than its parent (see Plate [XXXVI.], No. 1), and the elbow is more aggressive. A typical Louis XVI. fauteuil bergère is shown in No. 3 on Plate [XLVIII.] This is also called fauteuil confessional. In this reign the cushions of seat and back are often stuffed with hair instead of feathers, and tufted. Like the specimen on Plate [XXXVI.], this fauteuil bergère is often supplied with a separate cushion for the seat, covered like the rest of the chair.
Another typical chair was the “voyeuse,” the back of which was shaped like a lyre, and reached from the seat to the top rail. The latter was stuffed. Men sat astride the seat, and rested their arms upon the rail. This chair was generally in the card-room.
The dining-room chairs usually had cane backs and seats, or rush. The frames of oak or ebony followed the forms of the dining-room chair, or had turned bars or carved splats. Mahogany was also used, and often the frames were painted. As a rule, the chairs were furnished with removable cushions, but sometimes they were covered with velvet or leather.