Part 5 (1/2)

”Pietra-dura” as an ornament was first introduced in Italy during the sixteenth century, and became a fas.h.i.+on. This was an inlay of highly-polished rare marbles, agates, hard pebbles, lapis lazuli, and other stones; ivory was also carved and applied as a bas relief, as well as inlaid in arabesques of the most elaborate designs; tortoisesh.e.l.l, bra.s.s, mother of pearl, and other enrichments were introduced in the decoration of cabinets and of caskets; silver plaques embossed and engraved were pressed into the service as the native princes of Florence, Urbino, Ferrara, and other independent cities vied with Rome, Venice, and Naples in sumptuousness of ornament, and lavishness of expense, until the inevitable period of decline supervened in which exaggeration of ornament and prodigality of decoration gave the eye no repose.

Edmond Bonnaffe, contrasting the latter period of Italian Renaissance with that of sixteenth century French woodwork, has pithily remarked: ”_Chez cux, l'art du bois consiste a le dissimuler, chez nous a le faire valoir._”

[Ill.u.s.tration: Italian Coffer with Medallions of Ivory. 15th Century.

(_South Kensington Museum._)]

In Ruskin's ”Stones of Venice,” the author alludes to this over-ornamentation of the latter Renaissance in severe terms. After describing the progress of art in Venice from Byzantine to Gothic, and from Gothic to Renaissance he subdivides the latter period into three cla.s.ses:--1. Renaissance grafted on Byzantine. 2. Renaissance grafted on Gothic. 3. Renaissance grafted on Renaissance, and this last the veteran art critic calls ”double darkness,” one of his characteristic terms of condemnation which many of us cannot follow, but the spirit of which we can appreciate.

Speaking generally of the character of ornament, we find that whereas in the furniture of the Middle Ages, the subjects for carving were taken from the lives of the saints or from metrical romance, the Renaissance carvers ill.u.s.trated scenes from cla.s.sical mythology, and allegories, such as representations of elements, seasons, months, the cardinal virtues, or the battle scenes and triumphal processions of earlier times.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Carved Walnut Wood Italian Chairs. 16th Century. (_From Photos of the originals in the South Kensington Museum._)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ebony Cabinet. With marble mosaics, and bronze gilt ornaments, Florentine work. Period: XVII. Century.]

The outlines and general designs of the earlier Renaissance cabinets were apparently suggested by the old Roman triumphal arches and sarcophagi; afterwards these were modified and became varied, elegant and graceful, but latterly as the period of decline was marked, the outlines as shewn in the two chairs on the preceding page became confused and dissipated by over-decoration.

The ill.u.s.trations given of specimens of furniture of Italian Renaissance render lengthy descriptions unnecessary. So far as it has been possible to do so, a selection has been made to represent the different cla.s.ses of work, and as there are in the South Kensington Museum numerous examples of ca.s.sone fronts, panels, chairs, and cabinets which can be examined, it is easy to form an idea of the decorative woodwork made in Italy during the period we have been considering.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Venetian State Chair. Carved and Gilt Frame, Upholstered with Embroidered Velvet. Date about 1670. (_In the possession of H.M. the Queen at Windsor Castle._)]

The Renaissance In France.

From Italy the great revival of industrial art travelled to France.

Charles VIII., who for two years had held Naples (1494-96), brought amongst other artists from Italy, Bernadino de Brescia and Domenico de Cortona, and Art, which at this time was in a feeble, languis.h.i.+ng state in France, began to revive. Francis I. employed an Italian architect to build the Chateau of Fontainebleau, which had hitherto been but an old fas.h.i.+oned hunting box in the middle of the forest, and Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea del Sarto came from Florence to decorate the interior. Guilio Romano, who had a.s.sisted Raffaele to paint the loggie of the Vatican, exercised an influence in France, which was transmitted by his pupils for generations.

The marriage of Henry II. with Catherine de Medici increased the influence of Italian art, and later that of Marie de Medici with Henri Quatre continued that influence. Diane de Poietiers, mistress of Henri II., was the patroness of artists; and Fontainebleau has been well said to ”reflect the glories of gay and splendour loving kings from Francois Premier to Henri Quatre.”

Besides Fontainebleau, Francis I. built the Chateau of Chambord,[7] that of Chenonceaux on the Loire, the Chateau de Madrid, and others, and commenced the Louvre.

Following their King's example, the more wealthy of his subjects rebuilt or altered their chateaux and hotels, decorated them in the Italian style, and furnished them with the cabinets, chairs, coffers, armoires, tables, and various other articles, designed after the Italian models.

The character of the woodwork naturally accompanied the design of the building. Fireplaces, which until the end of the fifteenth century had been of stone, were now made of oak, richly carved and ornamented with the armorial bearings of the ”_seigneur_.” The _Prie dieu_ chair, which Viollet le Due tells us came into use in the fifteenth century, was now made larger and more ornate, in some cases becoming what might almost be termed a small oratory, the back being carved in the form of an altar, and the utmost care lavished on the work. It must be remembered that in France, until the end of the fifteenth century, there were no benches or seats in the churches, and, therefore, prayers were said by the aristocracy in the private chapel of the chateau, and by the middle cla.s.ses in the chief room of the house.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ornamental Panelling in St. Vincent's Church, Rouen.

Period: Early French Renaissance. Temp. Francois I.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Chimney Piece. In the Gallery of Henri II., Chateau of Fontainebleau. Period: French Renaissance, Early XVI. Century.]

The large high-backed chair of the sixteenth century ”_chaire a haut dossier,”_ the arm chair ”_chaire a bras,” ”chaire tournante_,” for domestic use, are all of this time, and some ill.u.s.trations will show the highly finished carved work of Renaissance style which prevailed.

Besides the ”_chaire_” which was reserved for the ”_seigneur_,” there were smaller and more convenient stools, the X form supports of which were also carved.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Carved Oak Panel, Dated 1577.]

Cabinets were made with an upper and lower part; sometimes the latter was in the form of a stand with caryatides figures like the famous cabinet in the Chateau Fontainebleau, a vignette of which forms the initial letter of this chapter; or were enclosed by doors generally decorated with carving, the upper, part having richly carved panels, which when open disclosed drawers with fronts minutely carved.

M. Edmond Bonnaffe, in his work on the sixteenth century furniture of France, gives no less than 120 ill.u.s.trations of ”_tables, coffres, armoires, dressoirs, sieges, et bancs_, manufactured at Orleans, Anjou, Maine, Touraine, Le Berri, Lorraine, Burgundy, Lyons, Provence, Auvergne, Languedoc, and other towns and districts, besides the capital,” which excelled in the reputation of her ”menuisiers,” and in the old doc.u.ments certain articles of furniture are particularized as ”_fait a Paris_.”