Louis XIV style reached its maturity around 1685-90. The Sun King and his court, Versailles, were signals of the dawn of the Classical Baroque era in art.
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The Context
Louis XIV made France the most powerful country in Europe. There was a passing from the baroque style, influenced by Italy, to the classical dignity of Louis XIV. Minister Colbert created the royal manufacturing company of Crown furniture bringing together painters and wood carpenters to promote exportation of French products. The Louis XIV style can be summed up as follows:
- MAJESTY
- BALANCE
- ORIGINALITY
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Furniture in this Style
The exaggeration of the Louis XIV style could be found in silver furniture. It was first introduced by Anne of Austria. It became very popular and was brought to England by Charles II. The beauty of this furniture created a new taste for carved wood to replace. Very few people could afford the silver furnishings. In modest houses and hotels pieces of furniture were richly carved and decored.
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Materials and Techniques and Ornament
Using burnished gold, the craftsmen adorned furniture with motifs like scrolls and guilloches, shells, and flowers. They were put together as festoons and sheaves. The addition of other popular trends like acanthus and the cartouche will give a luxury brilliancy unknown until the days of Louis XIV.
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Louis XIV ornament was featured with rigor and symmetry. Sun was famous as the royal emblem and was used along with the fleur-de-lis was. Moldings were still thick. Motifs of human faces, gods, and allegories, arabesques. The gilded bronze decoration was also popular in that period.
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Info source: https://www.britannica.com/art/Louis-XIV-style
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