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CHAPTER XVII
THE RENAISSANCE
Following the Gothic Period came the Renaissance of Greek art which
began in Italy under the leadership of Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael,
who, rejecting the existing types of degraded decorative art, in Italy
a combination of the Byzantine and Gothic—turned to the antique, the
purest Greek styles of Pericles' time. The result was another period
of perfect line and proportion, called the Italian Renaissance, a
great wave of art which swept over all Europe, gaining impetus from
the wise patronage of the ruling Medicis. One of them (Pope Leo X with
the co-operation of Italy's reigning dukes and princes) employed and
so developed the extraordinary powers of Michael Angelo, Titian,
Raphael, Andrea del Sarto and Correggio.
By the end of the fifteenth century, Classic Greek art was engrossing
the mind of Western Europe, classical literature was becoming the
fashion and there was even an attempt to make Latin the popular
language.
It was during the Renaissance that Palladio rebuilt the palaces of
Italy,—beautiful beyond words, and that Benvenuto Cellini designed in
gold, silver and bronze in a manner never since equalled. From that
same period dates the world-famous Majolica of Urbino, Pesaro and
Gubbio, shown in our museums. So far as house-furnishing went, aside
from palaces, there was but little that was appropriate for intimate
domestic life. The early Renaissance furniture was palatial,
architectural in outline and, one might almost say, in proportions.
The tables were impossibly high, the chairs were stiff, and the
cabinets immense and formal in outline. It had, however, much stately
beauty, and very lovely are certain old pieces of carved and gilded
wood where the gilt, put on over a red preparation and highly
burnished, has rubbed off with time, and shows a soft glow of colour
through the gold.
But as always, the curse of over-elaboration to please perverted
minds, was resorted to by cabinet-makers who copied mosaics with their
inlaying, and invented that form known as pietra-dura—polished
bits of marble, agates, pebbles and lapis lazuli. Ivory was carved
and used as bas-reliefs and ivory and tortoise shell, brass and
mother-of-pearl used as inlay. Elaborate Arabesque designs inlaid
were souvenirs of the Orient, and where the cabinetmaker's saw left
a line, the cuts were filled in with black wood or stained glue, which
brought out the design and so gave an added decorative effect. Skilled
artisans had other designs bitten into wood by acids, and shading was
managed by pouring hot sand on the surface of the wood. Hallmarks of
the Renaissance are designs which were taken from Greek and Roman
mythology, and allegories representing the elements, seasons, months
and virtues. Also, battle scenes and triumphal marches.
The insatiable love for decoration found still another expression in
silver and gold plaques of the highest artistic quality, embossed and
engraved for those princes of Florence, Urbino, Ferrara, Rome, Venice
and Naples, who vied with one another in extravagance until the
inevitable reaction came.
PLATE XVII
An example of good mantel decoration. The vases and clock are
Empire, the chairs Directoire, and footstools Louis XV. A low bowl of modern green Venetian glass holds flowers.
An Example of Perfect Balance and Beauty in Mantel
Arrangement
Edmund Bonneffé says that in the latter part of the Renaissance,
while the effort of the Italians seems to have been to disguise wood,
French cabinet-makers emphasised its value—an interesting point to
bear in mind.
If we trace the Renaissance movement in Germany we find that it was
Albrecht Dürer who led it. Then, as always, the Germans were foremost
in wood carving; with Holland and Belgium they are responsible for
much of the antique oak furniture on Renaissance lines. The
Scandinavians have also done wonderful wood carving, which is easily
confused with the early wood carving of the Russians, for the reason
that the Swedes settled Finland, and Russia's Ruric rulers (before the
Romanoff house,—sixteenth century) were from Finland.
In the sixteenth century metal work in steel, iron and brass reached
its height in Germany and Italy. It is supposed that the elaborate
mounts in furniture which were later perfected in France had their
origin in iron corners and hinge-plates used, at first, merely to
strengthen, but as the men who worked in metals became more and more
skilful, the mounts were made with the intent of mere decoration and
to draw attention to the beauty of the wood itself.
Before Dürer turned Germany's mind toward the Greek revival of Art,
the craftsmen of his country had been following Dutch models. This was
natural enough, for Charles V was king at that time, of Holland,
Germany and Spain, and the arts of the three countries, as well as
their commerce were interchangeable. In fact it was the Dutch painter,
Van Eyck, who took the Renaissance into Spain when called thereto
paint royalty. Sculptors, tapestry weavers, books on art, etc.,
followed.
That was the Spanish awakening, but the art of Spain during the
sixteenth century shows that the two most powerful influences were
Moorish and Italian. The most characteristically Spanish furniture of
that period are those cabinets,—"Vargueos," made of wood ornamented
on the outside with wrought iron, while inside are little columns made
of fine bone, painted and gilded. Much of the old Spanish furniture
reproduces German and Italian styles. Embossed leather put on with
heavy nails has always been characteristic of Spain, and in the
seventeenth century very fine Spanish mahogany and chestnut were
decorated with tortoise-shell inlaid with ivory, so as to make
elaborate pictures in the Italian style. (See Baron Davillier on
Spanish Furniture.).
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