Part 16 (1/2)

This valuable work of reference contains over two hundred copperplate engravings of chairs, sofas, bedsteads, mirror frames, girandoles, torcheres or lamp stands, dressing tables, cabinets, chimney pieces, organs, jardinieres, console tables, brackets, and other useful and decorative articles, of which some examples are given. It will be observed from these, that the designs of Chippendale are very different from those popularly ascribed to him. Indeed, it would appear that this maker has become better known than any other, from the fact of the designs in his book being recently republished in various forms; his popularity has thus been revived, while the names of his contemporaries are forgotten. For the last fifteen or twenty years, therefore, during which time the fas.h.i.+on has obtained of collecting the furniture of a bygone century, almost every cabinet, table, or mirror-frame, presumably of English manufacture, which is slightly removed from the ordinary type of domestic furniture, has been, for want of a better t.i.tle, called ”Chippendale.” As a matter of fact, he appears to have adopted from Chambers the fanciful Chinese ornament, and the rococo style of that time, which was superseded some five-and-twenty years later by the quieter and more cla.s.sic designs of Adam and his contemporaries.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fac-Simile of the t.i.tle Page of Chippendale's ”Director.”

(Reduced by Photography.) The Original is in Folio Size_.

THE GENTLEMAN and CABINET-MAKER'S DIRECTOR: Being a large COLLECTION of the Most ELEGANT and USEFUL DESIGNS OF HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, In the Most FAs.h.i.+ONABLE TASTE.

Including a great VARIETY of

CHAIRS, SOFAS, BEDS, and COUCHES; CHINA-TABLES, DRESSING-TABLES, SHAVING-TABLES, BASON-STANDS, and TEAKETTLE-STANDS; FRAMES for MARBLE-SLABS, BUREAU-DRESSING-TABLES, and COMMODES; WRITING-TABLES, and LIBRARY-TABLES; LIBRARY-BOOK-CASES, ORGAN-CASES for private Rooms, or Churches, DESKS, and BOOK-CASES; DRESSING and WRITING-TABLES with BOOK-CASES, TOILETS, CABINETS, and CLOATHS-PRESSES; CHINA-CASES, CHINA-SHELVES, and BOOK-SHELVES; CANDLE-STANDS, TERMS for BUSTS, STANDS for CHINA JARS, and PEDESTALS; CISTERNS for WATER, LANTHORNS, and CHANDELIERS; FIRE-SCREENS, BRACKETS, and CLOCK-CASES; PIER-GLa.s.sES, and TABLE-FRAMES; GIRANDOLES, CHIMNEY-PIECES, and PICTURE-FRAMES; STOVE-GRATES, BOARDERS, FRETS, CHINESE-RAILING, and BRa.s.s-WORK, for Furniture,

AND OTHER ORNAMENTS, TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, A Short EXPLANATION of the Five ORDERS of ARCHITECTURE; WITH

Proper DIRECTIONS for executing the most difficult Pieces, the Mouldings being exhibited at large, and the Dimensions of each DESIGN specified.

The Whole comprehended in Two HUNDRED COPPER-PLATES, neatly engraved.

Calculated to improve and refine the present TASTE, and suited to the Fancy and Circ.u.mstances of Persons in all Degrees of Life.

By THOMAS CHIPPENDALE, CABINET-MAKER and UPHOLSTERER, in St. Martin's Lane, London.

THE THIRD EDITION.

LONDON:

Printed for the AUTHOR, and sold at his House, in St. Martin's Lane; Also by T. BECKET and P.A. DeHONDT, in the Strand.

MDCCLXII.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fac-simile of a Page in Chippendale's ”Director.” (The original is folio size.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tea Caddy, Carved in the French style. (From Chippendale's ”Director.”)]

In the chapter on Louis XV. and Louis XVI. furniture, it has been shewn how France went through a similar change about this same period. In Chippendale's chairs and console tables, in his state bedsteads and his lamp-stands, one can recognise the broken scrolls and curved lines, so familiar in the bronze mountings of Caffieri. The influence of the change which had occurred in France during the Louis Seize period is equally evident in the Adams' treatment. It was helped forward by the migration into this country of skilled workmen from France, during the troubles of the revolution at the end of the century. Some of Chippendale's designs bear such t.i.tles as ”French chairs” or a ”Bombe-fronted Commode.” These might have appeared as ill.u.s.trations in a contemporary book on French furniture, so identical are they in every detail with the carved woodwork of Picau, of Cauner, or of Nilson, who designed the flamboyant frames of the time of Louis XV. Others have more individuality. In his mirror frames he introduced a peculiar bird with a long snipe-like beak, and rather impossible wings, an imitation of rockwork and dripping water, Chinese figures with paG.o.das and umbrellas; and sometimes the ill.u.s.tration of Aesop's fables interspersed with scrolls and flowers. By dividing the gla.s.s unequally, by the introduction into his design of bevelled pillars with carved capitals and bases, he produced a quaint and pleasing effect, very suitable to the rather effeminate fas.h.i.+on of his time, and in harmony with three-cornered hats, wigs and patches, embroidered waistcoats, knee breeches, silk stockings, and enamelled snuff-boxes. In some of the designs there is a fanciful Gothic, to which he makes special allusion in his preface, as likely to be considered by his critics as impracticable, but which he undertakes to produce, if desired--

”Though some of the profession have been diligent enough to represent them (espescially those after the Gothick and Chinese manner) as so many specious drawings impossible to be worked off by any mechanick whatsoever. I will not scruple to attribute this to Malice, Ignorance, and Inability; and I am confident I can convince all n.o.blemen, Gentlemen, or others who will honour me with their Commands, that every design in the book can be improved, both as to Beauty and Enrichment, in the execution of it, by

”Their most obedient servant,

”THOMAS CHIPPENDALE.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Bureau, From Chippendale's ”Director.”]

The reader will notice that in the examples selected from Chippendale's book there are none of those fretwork tables and cabinets which are generally termed ”Chippendale.” We know, however, that besides the designs which have just been described, and which were intended for gilding, he also made mahogany furniture, and in the ”Director” there are drawings of chairs, washstands, writing-tables and cabinets of this description.

Fretwork is very rarely seen, but the carved ornament is generally a foliated or curled endive scroll; sometimes the top of a cabinet is finished in the form of a Chinese paG.o.da. Upon examining a piece of furniture that may reasonably be ascribed to him, it will be found of excellent workmans.h.i.+p, and the wood, always mahogany without any inlay, is richly marked, shewing a careful selection of material.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fac-simile of a Page In Chippendale's ”Director.” (The original is folio size.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”French” Commode and Lamp Stands. Designed by T.

Chippendale, and Published in His ”Director.”]