An elegant walnut chair with a vase-shaped back and a characteristic plaque in the center becomes the symbol of the era. Another feature is the cabriole legs, curved in the shape of the letter S, decorated with an ornament of shells, thin, elegant below and extending in the upper part ...

Passing the gallery

Materials prepared: Julia Sakharova

Magazine: N (87) 2004

Family history. The queen, who gave the name to the elegant style of furniture, was not interested in art, but loved hunting, maps and brandy. England did not owe her the appearance of a new style, but William of Orange, who, after marrying Anna's sister, Mary, brought her furniture from Holland, which, in turn, influenced the style of English furniture. While the queen was hunting, her country experienced a flowering of the Baroque style, which in Italian means "fancy-shaped sink". The baroque interior has bright, expressive forms, a rich play of light and shadow, an abundance of gold, and most importantly, an incredible dynamic. Every decent house had to have a lot of luxurious furniture, giant tapestries, lush canopies, huge mirrors and heavy candelabra. Replaced the gloomy oak furniture came golden walnut. The symbol of the era is an elegant walnut chair with a vase-shaped back and a characteristic plaque in the center (splat, borrowed from the forms of Chinese furniture of the Ming dynasty). Another feature is the legs-cabrioles, curved in the shape of the letter S. Decorated with an ornament from shells, thin, graceful below and widening in the upper part, cabrioles were often repeated by craftsmen in subsequent times. By the way, during the time of Queen Anne, the famous "grandfather's chair" with a high back upholstered in tapestry with floral ornaments appeared, a table- "butterfly" with falling doors and a toilet with a mirror. The fashion for China spawned fantastic lacquered cabinets with eaves in the form of pagodas, decorated with gold paintings of flowers, butterflies, birds and landscapes with figures. Nowadays, the "Queen Anne" most often furnish home cabinets, smoking rooms and certainly put a pair of eared chairs near the fireplace. Return to the Library of Styles