DOI Artikel:
On the interior arrangement and decoration of the house
DOI Artikel:Furniture
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19423#0076
Furniture
the selection of the timber. Just as
a coachbuilder chooses the material for
his shafts from trees whose growth
happens to have a natural curve adapted
to his purpose, so too the cabinet-
maker will do likewise in the making
of cabriole legs for furniture. Unless
this condition be observed the curved
shape is open to condemnation as faulty
in construction. Nay, purists do in
fact prefer straight legs for furniture,
objecting to cabrioles on the ground
that they have no apparent centre of
gravity.
An authority on aesthetics, the late
M. Charles Blanc, in his " Grammaire
des Arts Decoratifs," even maintains
that, as far as may be in furniture
design, curves should be reserved for a
horizontal position ; legs and other parts
in a vertical direction being rectilinear.
One would scarcely have expected the
enunciation of such a principle to come
drawing-room grand from the same land as gave birth to
piano in light oak tkat most extravagantly irresponsible
designed by e. l. lutyens , .
executed by j. broadwood & sons, ltd. of all historic styles, viz., the baroque
of Louis Quinze. And, correct as this
doctiine of M. Blanc's may be in
with metal, certain Austrian bent-wood effects theory, in practice it is too exacting a standard to
would be far more appropriate in wrought-iron. enforce universally. However, it may well stand
In any case, the stubborn nature of wood confines for the ideal to aim at, while still it is admitted
the bending process to
rods of slight diameter.
Curved shapes in any sub-
stantial thickness of wood
must be cut out of the
solid timber. But since
the normal direction of
the grain is straight, it is
clear that there must be
a limit to the hollowing
of curved parts, lest exces-
sive cutting out on the
cross section weaken their
strength, especially when
they are to be subjected
to any extra pressure or
weight. In the case of
" cabriole " legs (so called
from their resemblance to
the bended form of the
hind legs of goats and
other animals) particular
' . . grand piano ix oak designed and executed by
care must be exercised in j. broadwood & sons, ltd.
60
the selection of the timber. Just as
a coachbuilder chooses the material for
his shafts from trees whose growth
happens to have a natural curve adapted
to his purpose, so too the cabinet-
maker will do likewise in the making
of cabriole legs for furniture. Unless
this condition be observed the curved
shape is open to condemnation as faulty
in construction. Nay, purists do in
fact prefer straight legs for furniture,
objecting to cabrioles on the ground
that they have no apparent centre of
gravity.
An authority on aesthetics, the late
M. Charles Blanc, in his " Grammaire
des Arts Decoratifs," even maintains
that, as far as may be in furniture
design, curves should be reserved for a
horizontal position ; legs and other parts
in a vertical direction being rectilinear.
One would scarcely have expected the
enunciation of such a principle to come
drawing-room grand from the same land as gave birth to
piano in light oak tkat most extravagantly irresponsible
designed by e. l. lutyens , .
executed by j. broadwood & sons, ltd. of all historic styles, viz., the baroque
of Louis Quinze. And, correct as this
doctiine of M. Blanc's may be in
with metal, certain Austrian bent-wood effects theory, in practice it is too exacting a standard to
would be far more appropriate in wrought-iron. enforce universally. However, it may well stand
In any case, the stubborn nature of wood confines for the ideal to aim at, while still it is admitted
the bending process to
rods of slight diameter.
Curved shapes in any sub-
stantial thickness of wood
must be cut out of the
solid timber. But since
the normal direction of
the grain is straight, it is
clear that there must be
a limit to the hollowing
of curved parts, lest exces-
sive cutting out on the
cross section weaken their
strength, especially when
they are to be subjected
to any extra pressure or
weight. In the case of
" cabriole " legs (so called
from their resemblance to
the bended form of the
hind legs of goats and
other animals) particular
' . . grand piano ix oak designed and executed by
care must be exercised in j. broadwood & sons, ltd.
60