History
Prehistory
The practice of using natural objects as rudimentary furniture probably dates back to the dawn of human civilization.[3] It is likely that early humans used tree stumps as seats, rocks as rudimentary tables, and mossy sleeping areas.[3] During the late Paleolithic or early Neolithic period, around , people began building and carving their own furniture, using wood, stone, and animal bones.[4] The first evidence for the existence of constructed furniture is a figurine of Venus found at the Gagarino site in Russia, depicting the goddess seated on a throne.
A series of unique stone furniture has been excavated at Skara Brae, a Neolithic village in Orkney, Scotland. The site dates back to between 3100 and, due to a shortage of wood in Orkney, the inhabitants of Skara Brae were forced to build with stone, a readily available material that could be easily worked into objects for domestic use. Each house displays a high degree of sophistication and was equipped with a wide assortment of stone furniture, from cabinets, chests of drawers and beds to bookcases, stone seats and lapa. The stone sideboard was considered the most important, as it is symbolically located in front of the entrance to each house and is therefore the first item seen upon entering, perhaps displaying symbolic objects, including decorative works of art such as several Neolithic carved stone balls also found at the site.
• - The Seated Woman from Çatalhöyük, a figurine discovered in Türkiye and dated approximately to the year , is proof that furniture already existed at that time.
• - A chest of drawers with shelves furnishes a house in Skara Brae, a settlement in present-day Scotland that was occupied from about 3180-.
• - Cucuteni") ritual figurines sitting on miniature chairs; 4900-; painted ceramics; Piatra Neamț Archaeological Museum") (Piatra Neamț, Romania).
• - Cucuteni figurine housed in a miniature chair; 4750-; ceramics; discovered in Târpești (present-day Romania); Piatra Neamț Archaeological Museum.
Antique
Objects from the classical period have been found in the mounds of Phrygia and the Midas mounds in Gordion, Türkiye, belong to the century BC. C. Among the pieces found are tables and service cabinets with inlays. Works from the Assyrian palace of Nimrud from the centuries BC are also preserved. The oldest surviving carpet, the Pazyryk"), was discovered in a frozen tomb in Siberia and has been dated to between 1000 and 1000 BC.
Civilization in ancient Egypt began with the plowing and irrigation of lands along the banks of the Nile River,[6] which began approximately in the year . By then, the society of the Nile Valley was already dedicated to organized agriculture and the construction of large buildings.[7] At this time, the Egyptians in the southwestern tip of Egypt were dedicated to livestock farming and also the construction of large buildings. Mortar&action=edit&redlink=1 "Mortar (masonry) (not yet written)") was used around the The inhabitants of the Nile Valley and delta were self-sufficient and grew barley and emmer (a primitive variety of wheat) and stored it in pits lined with reed mats.[8] They raised cattle, goats and pigs and wove linen and baskets. Evidence of furniture from the Predynastic period" is scarce, but samples from the tombs of the First Dynasty indicate an already advanced use of furniture in the houses of the time.[9].
During the dynastic period&action=edit&redlink=1 "Early Dynastic Period (Egypt) (not yet drafted)"), which began around , Egyptian art developed significantly, and this included furniture design.[10] Egyptian furniture was constructed primarily of wood, but other materials, such as leather, were sometimes used,[11] and pieces were often adorned with gold, silver, ivory, and ebony, such as decoration.[11] The wood found in Egypt was not suitable for the construction of furniture, so it had to be imported into the country from other places,[10] especially Phenicia.[12] The shortage of wood forced innovation in construction techniques. The use of "scarf joints" to join two shorter pieces to form a longer beam was an example of this,[13] as well as "veneer" construction" in which cheap, low-quality wood was used as the main construction material, with a thin layer of expensive wood on the surface.[14].
The first seating furniture used in the dynastic period was the stool&action=edit&redlink=1 "Stool (seat) (not yet written)"), which was used throughout Egyptian society, from the royal family to ordinary citizens.[15] Different designs were used, from stools with four vertical legs to others with crossed and extended legs; However, almost all of them had rectangular seats. Examples include the workman's stool, a simple three-legged structure with a concave seat, designed for comfort during childbirth,[16] and the much more ornate folding stool with crossed folding legs,[17] which were decorated with carved duck heads and ivory,[17] and had bronze hinges.[15] Complete chairs were much rarer in early Egypt, as they were limited to people. wealthy and high-ranking, and were considered a status symbol; "[18] Early examples were formed by adding a straight back to a stool, while later chairs had a sloping back.[18] Other types of ancient Egyptian furniture include tables, widely represented in art, but almost non-existent as preserved objects - perhaps because they were placed outside of tombs rather than inside - as well as beds and chairs. trunks.[19][20][21].
• - Stool with woven seat; 1991-; wood and cane; height: 13cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• - Sithathoryunet Jewel Chest; 1887-; ebony, ivory, gold, carnelian, blue earthenware and silver; height: 36.7cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• - Hatnefer Chair"); 1492-; boxwood, cypress, ebony and linen rope; height: 53 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• - The Throne of Tutankhamun; 1336–1327 BC; wood covered with plates of gold, silver, semi-precious stones, earthenware, glass and bronze: 1 m; Egyptian Museum (Cairo).
The classical world
Ancient Greek furniture design began in the second millennium BC. C., including beds and chairs klismós, which have been preserved not only as furniture but also in drawings of Greek vases.
The Romans possessed precious, made furniture in great abundance. In the excavations of 1738 and 1748 in Herculaneum and Pompeii, some objects of Roman furniture preserved among the ashes of the eruption of Vesuvius were found: beds of red wood, with silver inlays of simple construction and great lightness, different seats such as the bisellium for two people and the sella for one. These seats were often made of bronze and lacked backrests, which made them uncomfortable. In ordinary life they used light and comfortable wooden chairs, in front of which the scabellum or stool was placed. There was a great variety of tables, tripods that were usually used as braziers and, above all, an immense number of candelabras and lamps as well as wooden chests with metal decorations, benches, carts, etc. With the triumph of Christianity and the invasion of the barbarians, artists from Rome were expatriated and antique furniture regained great importance, especially in the Eastern Empire, that is, among the Byzantines.[22].
The Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, the arts, industry and commerce acquired a splendor not known until then and alongside the artists who followed the traditions of the monasteries, others emerged in correspondence with the lay architects. From then, the magnificent works of carpentry and wood sculpture date back: chests, cabinets, arks, benches decorated with paintings or bas-reliefs, all very portable and designed to be transportable in carts or on mules when the owner changed residence. The beds and benches were adorned with cushions. The choir stalls and the chapter chairs were very notable. Already in the century the furniture was distinguished by its luxury and we see chests&action=edit&redlink=1 "Chest (Arcón) (not yet written)") adorned with hardware or lined with guadameciles, copper or wooden chairs, suitcases, baskets, trunks, large closets and large beds, sideboards, etc.[22].
The Renaissance
Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance spanned the centuries and marked a revival of classical art, inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. During this period, a new grammar of ornamentation emerged, which included decorative elements such as telamons, caryatids, chimeras, palms, laurels, columns and pilasters, all derived from classical influence. This stylistic development was facilitated, to a large extent, by the use of engraving and direct observation of ancient fragments still visible in Italy, which allowed Renaissance craftsmen to emulate classical forms with precision.
In northern Europe, these ideas spread thanks to the publication of works such as Vitruvius' first text. These works served as a guide for furniture designers, who began to incorporate classical proportions and Renaissance ornaments into their designs. This impact was reflected, for example, in the creation of two-story wardrobes, which became important vehicles for the dissemination of Renaissance ideas about proportion and ornament.
In Italy, the cradle of the Renaissance, the authentic classical style was manifested for the first time, influenced by architects, and which influenced the way of furnishing domestic interiors. A characteristic example is the cassapanca, a combination of seat and chest that was located in the main room of Florentine houses, and the cassone, a type of chest richly decorated with painted panels or inlay techniques.
Throughout the 19th century, Renaissance influences on furniture spread throughout Europe, although with marked regional differences. In France, for example, the Italian invasions under Charles VIII and Francis I led to the adoption of Italian decorative styles in palaces such as Amboise and Fontainebleau, while in Spain, Renaissance influence coexisted with Mudejar elements, as can be seen in the decoration of the bargueño, a type of ark with a hinged lid.
The Baroque
In the 19th century Baroque, furniture reflected luxury and abundance, highlighting the use of exotic woods such as ebony and elaborate decorations. Large closets, mirrors, and the integration of furniture with interior architecture were common, creating visually striking environments. In France, the court of King Louis XIV played an important role in the evolution of the style, creating royal workshops and collecting furniture for palaces. This period ranged from sculpted and detailed furniture to more functional pieces, but always maintaining a focus on ornamental richness.
Eclecticism
During the 19th century, European furniture was influenced by a variety of competing styles, resulting in something of a "battle of styles." In England, one of the main movements was Palladianism, derived from the work of the architect Andrea Palladio, which coexisted with other important currents such as Rococo, Chinoiserie and Gothic.
Rococo, with its origin in France, arrived in England and was reinterpreted by designers such as Thomas Chippendale. In his work, Chippendale used mahogany instead of beech, which allowed the creation of openwork designs on the chairs, with motifs that sometimes combined the Rococo style with Gothic or Chinese elements. Furniture production in England during this period was not only influenced by aesthetic styles, but also by the organization of work. Chippendale not only designed and produced furniture, but offered a comprehensive service, supplying everything needed to furnish a home. This contrasted with the French production model, where small workshops supplied the mercadonds merciers.
Gothic and Chinoiserie emerged as alternatives to Rococo in England. Gothic, with deeper roots in the English tradition, remained a more serious option. On the other hand, chinoiserie, with its style inspired by Chinese art and architecture, had a revival in 1757 with the publication of Designs for Chinese Buildings by William Chambers "William Chambers (architect)"), and found its highest expression in the extravagant decoration of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
As the century progressed, neoclassicism began to displace Rococo. This style, led in England by Robert Adam, focused on purity and order inspired by Roman architecture. Adam created interiors that reflected an idealized vision of this type of architecture, aligning with the aspirations of the English upper class of the time.
19th century
During the first half of the century, furniture underwent fundamental changes compared to previous years. These changes were reflected both in technological and stylistic terms. Although the technological revolution moved slowly at first, the style's impact was considerable. In contrast to neoclassicism, which, although elegant, did not introduce great advances in manufacturing, the evolution of furniture in this period showed a notable transformation.
The Arts and Crafts movement emerged in the second half of the century as a reaction against the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution, which led to mass production and a loss of artisanal quality. Led by figures such as William Morris, this movement advocated a return to traditional craft techniques, valuing both the beauty and functionality of everyday objects, including furniture. This movement was key in the transition towards modernity in furniture design, as it not only valued craftsmanship, but also established an ethical foundation for design that would influence the styles of the century.
The 20th century
In the first three quarters of the century, designers worked on styles such as the Vienna Secession, Wiener Werkstätte, De Stijl, Bauhaus and Art Deco.
After World War I, there was a great development in the technological sector that allowed experimentation with materials. During the 1930s, the influence of the work of European architects on Spanish furniture design allowed important collaborations to develop between architects and Spanish furniture companies, promoting modern design in the country.[23].
Postmodern design, crossed by the Pop Art movement, gained momentum in the sixties and seventies, promoted in the eighties by Italian movements based on the Memphis Group or Radical Design).