The dining-room is decorated in stucco, or painted in imitation of marble. The furniture is mahogany. The chairs are covered with leather. The window-curtains are of “Persian” taffeta, cloth or cotton, trimmed with ball fringe. The dining-table is round or oval, and is often supported on the pillar-and-claw.
The dining-room table also is round, and stands on four feet decorated with lions’ heads or chimæras; or again it is supported by the pillar-and-claw. The drawing-room table is frequently finished with a marble top, or it is covered with a cloth. Upon it stands a lamp with its shade.
A very ornate tea-table of porcelain brightened with gold and bronze appears on Plate [LXV.] Above it is shown the decorative top. This is by Percier and Fontaine. No. 6, on the same plate is another table; No. 7 is a tea-table; and No. 5 is another table. All of these are by Percier and Fontaine. Another kind of table designed by Percier was the table à fleurs, or jardinière. Some of his models, which were made by Jacob Desmalters, are quite ornate. One of these is in the shape of a vase, supported by sphinxes, and filled with growing plants. Upon this stands another basin for growing flowers, or gold-fish, and above this again is a decorative figure. Another design is a round basin or vase for flowers supported by columns, on either side of which are smaller vases.
The console was a large square table decorated with sphinxes, or other ornaments in gilded bronze. Often a mirror was placed at the back framed by the legs.
The commode, like all the rest of the furniture, became more rigid in form and decoration. It was made of walnut or mahogany; and during the Directoire few were supplied with metal ornaments. Indeed, many of them had neither rings nor handles on the drawers. The form of the commode became still heavier during the Empire; but it was enlivened by ornate metal trimmings. A richly decorated commode by Percier and Fontaine appears as No. 2 on Plate [LXVII.] The chiffonnière, which had come into fashion during the last years of the Louis XVI. period, increased in popularity. It was generally a lady’s article containing drawers for writing and needlework. The marble top was often surrounded by a railing or gallery.
During the Empire, a set of drawing-room furniture consisted of one or two sofas, six arm-chairs, six chairs, two bergères and two tabourets. The sofas were placed on either side of the chimney-piece. One of the favourite varieties of the sofa was the canapé pommier, introduced during the Directoire. Its back was square and quite low, and was extended around the sides to take the place of arms. Sometimes the seat was garnished with fringe, and sometimes the wood was left plain.
The many varieties of the draped sofa disappeared. The Directoire and the Empire demanded that the forms of the settee, sofa, and chaise longue should be severe to accord with the arm-chairs. The back of the sofa was stuffed, but not the sides or wings. At each end was placed a feather pillow covered with the same material as the sofa. The most popular sofa had a square back that was carried around the seat, forming wings at each side instead of the elbow or arm. The new sofas were called Méridienne and canapé pommier. Tapestry, figured satin, worsted damask or printed cloth, put on with braid, were used for coverings. At the end of the Empire period, the divan was introduced. This seat was suggested by the Eastern travellers.
The banquette was covered with velvet trimmed with gold or silk braid and fringe. The most fashionable chaise longue was of the kind upon which Madame Récamier is lounging in David’s celebrated portrait. Both ends of this piece were alike. One end of a similar piece of furniture appears as No. 2 on Plate [LXV.] The bergère en gondole was also popular. Its back was lower and more rounded than that of the bergère on Plate [XLVIII.], No. 3. Gondola-shaped chairs and bar-backed chairs and the heavy scrolled arm-chair were the favourites, also the double arm-chair.
PLATE LXVII