Late Victorian period
The late Victorian era, from the 1860s until the end of the 19th century, sees the rise of two movements in furniture design in England, the Arts and Crafts movement and the Aesthetic or Art Furniture movement. Alongside these important developments, there were also some revivals of antique styles of earlier centuries, new foreign influences, and the late rise of the avant-garde.In general terms furniture produced in the late Victorian period was composed of straight lines, solid wood usually stained black or dark green, and had not as much upholstery compared to early Victorian furniture. The painted decoration was preferred for carving.
Art Furniture
Every article of manufacture should indicate by its general design the purpose to which it will be applied.From the 1867 "Hints on Household Taste" by Charles Eastlake as well as this complaint about the design of sideboards:
The backs are curved in the most senseless and extravagant manner.
Aesthetic Style Armchair, 1868.
Art furniture of the late Victorian era designed by Eastlake and others was solidly built, well constructed and had few decorative effects for their own sake. The wood was unvarnished and usually without veneer, and the whole appearance was one of simplicity and usefulness. It drew on many traditions, mainly the Gothic and medieval as well as the oriental.
Revivals
Chippendale Reproduction Chair, c.1870
In the mid to late nineteenth century, some revivals of antique styles took place. There was some renewed interest in Egyptian designs as well as an "Etruscan" and Greek phase. Especially from the 1860's a revival of the Robert Adam style occurred with many neoclassical style pieces being made and additionally there was some interest in the mid-Georgian period and the work of Thomas Chippendale with many reproductions of his coming onto the market.
The Exotic
1876, Ebonised table from mahogany inspired by Japanese woodwork.
In 1853 trade lines with Japan were opened and interest among those in search of novelty such as E.W. Godwin and Bruce Talbert grew in the tradition of Japanese craftsmanship and decoration motifs. As a result, some amount of black and ebonized furniture was made in the late Victorian era with Japanese painted fretwork panels and imitation bamboo arms and legs.
Arts and Crafts Movement
Men living amongst such ugliness cannot perceive beauty and, therefore, cannot express it.William Morris and John Ruskin inspired the Arts and Crafts Movement with their reaction against the machine age and its effect on ordinary working people. The term "Arts and Crafts" was coined in 1888 and the movement saw the peak of its influence from 1890 to 1910.
1893, Cabinet, a popular Arts and Crafts design.
Victorian Arts and Crafts style furniture in England was handmade in a country or farmhouse style and often looked nicer than it was to sit on in the case of chairs. Morris and co. also produced simply made cabinets and sideboards on which Morris painted scenes of medieval fantasy. The designers of the Arts and Crafts style wanted to show the superiority of handmade furniture and they made pieces that were affordable for most classes.