Boulle Furniture
Andre Charles Boulle
Largest master furniture makers era is Flemish-born Andre Charles Boulle (1642-1732). Buhl was the first furniture tortoiseshell inlay (so-called. Machinery “Pike”). With this technique, he met in Flanders. The first significant work Buhl appear already in 1672. As head of the court after the death of Jean LESAs carpenter’s workshop in the Louvre, in 1679, he expanded them.
Nature has endowed Andre Charles multifaceted talent, he and architect, and painter, and master the art of furniture, and draftsman, and engraver. Since his name is associated with well-known throughout the world and jealously stored in museum collections of furniture products in the so-called. “Style of Boulle. They are veneered in black wood and richly decorated with bronze plaques and marquetry recruited plates turtles, tin, gold-plated copper, bone, etc. The forms of furniture somewhat heavy, the contours are straight lines, rectangular in cross-section legs taper downwards, completion and plinths solved strictly. Leading element of ornaments - large, symmetrical motifs stylized vine.
The works of Boole strong impression of majesty, this large closets, chests, consoles, decorative tables, stands and cases for watches and other masters who followed the methods of Boole, according to the nature of the material they used, were named chernoderevtsami; chernoderevtsy worked in close collaboration with marquetry and bronze.
Age of Louis XIV. Chest of drawers with ebony inlay. Andre-Charles Boulle, 1708-1709. Made at the Royal Gobelenovskih manufactories.
What is the French taste for things? French furniture will not confuse with the British or the Italian, but the specifics elude common definitions, such as “beautiful” or “convenient”. To catch it, you need to take into account the main defining aspect - a continuous, genetic tradition of presence in this culture of beautiful things, regardless of changing styles, economic ups and downs, wars
and even catastrophic revolutions. So, consistency and a certain level of quality of the physical environment - what does that mean?
Closet ebony inlaid tortoise shell, brass, tin and silver. Andre-Charles Boulle, 1700. Furniture work Buhl - same klassitsiziruyuschego French Baroque masterpiece like Versailles.
That thing does not aspire to become something more than a thing, but in its own way strives for excellence. Armchair - this is not the throne, but not folding tripod. Wardrobe - this is not the palace, not the altar, and not the picture. If, for example, Italian furniture Baroque his appearance would “rise” to the architecture, sculpture, painting, the French baroque furniture - this is furniture. This does not mean that it is less spectacular - from the cabinet of Buhl is breathtaking no less than from any baroque churches, but in his work style is expressed only specific means of this art form, and thus is a promising development prospects. Perhaps this was the reason that since the middle of XVII century European leadership in the field of furniture from the Netherlanders, Flemish and Italians moved to the French and was confirmed to them a long time.