DOI issue:
Nr. 243 (May, 1917)
DOI article:Rubinstein, Stella: French furniture, Mediæval and Renaissance
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43464#0180
French Furniture, Mediceval and Renaissance
the Duseigneur sale. Another chest in the
Blumenthal Collection and two chest fronts in
the Metropolitan Museum, though still of the
late Gothic period, belong to the transition
style and they will find their place in one of
the later articles.
When we pass from the chests to the dressers,
we come to a piece of furniture the use of which
was far from being as general and indispensable
as that of the chest. Nevertheless, it played an
important role in the house furnishing of the
fifteenth century. At that time residence in one
place began to have greater permanence and more
luxury was displayed in furnishing a home. In
some cases, such as in royal palaces and in the
houses of great lords, the luxury even exceeded
their means. In general there was more and
greater variety of furniture than in the previous
century.
The form of the dresser was generally that
of a cupboard standing on four high legs.
There are others that, instead of the four legs,
had a base near the floor which formed an open
compartment where it was customary to display
the finest dishes and silver. Both models are
here shown. There is a dresser in the Blumen-
thal Collection showing the older of the two
types, belonging to about the middle of the
fifteenth century (reproduced, fig. 8). The front
of the dresser is divided into three parts. In the
centre is a panel decorated with Gothic tracery,
leafwork and rosettes. On either side is a door
similarly decorated and showing above and below
friezes with Gothic tracery and on the sides locks
elaborately ornamented. Many analogies can be
found in comparing it with a dresser in the Cluny
Museum*, and with another in the Troyes
Museum.
A dresser in the Metropolitan Museum of the
late fifteenth century shows a similar con-
struction but the decoration differs entirely.
The upper part is divided into three com-
partments. It shows in the central panel a
decoration of vine leaves, grapes, and branches,
so often used in the Romanesque period and
seldom in the Gothic period, especially in
France. A frieze below shows this same dec-
oration while the two doors are decorated with
linen folds.
The third dresser, coming from the Chappey
sale (reproduced, fig. 8), is also in the Metro-
politan Museum and it, too, is of the late
fifteenth century. It shows the second type of
construction mentioned above. In spite of its
being more elaborate, it still preserves the admir-
able simplicity of the Gothic productions. The
front of the upper part or cupboard is divided
into five parts. In the centre is a panel decorated
with Gothic tracery, a fleur-de-lis, two strips of
iron and a lock. The other four panels show
pierced Gothic designs. The decoration is com-
pleted by a kind of frieze below the cupboard.
TfMusee des Thermes et de 1’Hotel de Cluny. “Le
Bois,” pl. 14.
fig. 6
LXXVI
the Duseigneur sale. Another chest in the
Blumenthal Collection and two chest fronts in
the Metropolitan Museum, though still of the
late Gothic period, belong to the transition
style and they will find their place in one of
the later articles.
When we pass from the chests to the dressers,
we come to a piece of furniture the use of which
was far from being as general and indispensable
as that of the chest. Nevertheless, it played an
important role in the house furnishing of the
fifteenth century. At that time residence in one
place began to have greater permanence and more
luxury was displayed in furnishing a home. In
some cases, such as in royal palaces and in the
houses of great lords, the luxury even exceeded
their means. In general there was more and
greater variety of furniture than in the previous
century.
The form of the dresser was generally that
of a cupboard standing on four high legs.
There are others that, instead of the four legs,
had a base near the floor which formed an open
compartment where it was customary to display
the finest dishes and silver. Both models are
here shown. There is a dresser in the Blumen-
thal Collection showing the older of the two
types, belonging to about the middle of the
fifteenth century (reproduced, fig. 8). The front
of the dresser is divided into three parts. In the
centre is a panel decorated with Gothic tracery,
leafwork and rosettes. On either side is a door
similarly decorated and showing above and below
friezes with Gothic tracery and on the sides locks
elaborately ornamented. Many analogies can be
found in comparing it with a dresser in the Cluny
Museum*, and with another in the Troyes
Museum.
A dresser in the Metropolitan Museum of the
late fifteenth century shows a similar con-
struction but the decoration differs entirely.
The upper part is divided into three com-
partments. It shows in the central panel a
decoration of vine leaves, grapes, and branches,
so often used in the Romanesque period and
seldom in the Gothic period, especially in
France. A frieze below shows this same dec-
oration while the two doors are decorated with
linen folds.
The third dresser, coming from the Chappey
sale (reproduced, fig. 8), is also in the Metro-
politan Museum and it, too, is of the late
fifteenth century. It shows the second type of
construction mentioned above. In spite of its
being more elaborate, it still preserves the admir-
able simplicity of the Gothic productions. The
front of the upper part or cupboard is divided
into five parts. In the centre is a panel decorated
with Gothic tracery, a fleur-de-lis, two strips of
iron and a lock. The other four panels show
pierced Gothic designs. The decoration is com-
pleted by a kind of frieze below the cupboard.
TfMusee des Thermes et de 1’Hotel de Cluny. “Le
Bois,” pl. 14.
fig. 6
LXXVI