Regency
Posted on Sep 22, 2008 by Donna Sapolin
Photo featuring Regency style courtesy of De Gournay
When King George III of England fell victim to madness, power was transferred to his son George, Prince of Wales. Regency Style was named for his reign, which lasted from 1811-1830. Regency resembled Napoleon’s Empire style of décor minus the overbearing grandeur and allusions to the emperor’s military campaigns.
Both the era’s archaeological finds and the popularity of grand tours to Europe prompted Brits to become avid collectors and showcase their varied treasures in ever more extravagant and colorful pieces inspired by furniture pattern books. The Regency style evolved as a reaction to the delicate details of early neoclassical designs patterned after the furniture of Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite. To get beyond both the baseness of mass production, which was taking force in England, and the consequent lack of a single designer’s point of view, aesthetes turned to Napoleon’s exploits in Egypt and the opening up of the Far East for new artistic ideas; Neo-Gothic and chinoiserie elements began to impact the furnishings of the period.
Clean lines and restraint distinguished most Regency furniture. Mahogany, the typical wood used in Regency pieces, was embellished with delicate brass inlays. Tables of every type, especially those with pedestal bases became popular, as did Japanning, especially on chairs. Frequently, black paint emulating lacquer was emblazoned with golden chinoiserie designs.
After the fall of Napoleon, the furniture was characterized by an increased use of Empire-inspired accents, including lion’s heads, torsos, or claw monopods as well as accents based on the British navy’s victories at sea, including ropes, anchors, and dolphins. Light and restrained furnishings such as small portable tables and chairs proliferated and innovative furnishings such as sofa tables with end flaps for games, writing, or needlework emerged. Chairs with sword-shaped saber legs based on French Empire prototypes were developed followed later by models with straight, turned legs.
Written by Donna Sapolin.
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VIEW EXAMPLES OF REGENCY PRODUCTS ON DECORATI
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DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: THOMAS HOPE (1767-1831)
“The name Thomas Hope may not be familiar,but his furniture designs are: American craftsmen have been reinterpreting Hope prototypes - in the neoclassical style known as English Regency - for 200 years,”
says Wendy Moonan of the New York Times. Born to a wealthy Danish family in Amsterdam, Thomas Hope became one of the most influential designers of the Regency Style. After a decade of traveling through Europe, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, Hope settled in London. The furnishings of his new home were inspired by the Egyptian archaeological sites, artwork, and furniture from his travels. In 1807, Hope published his book, “Household Furniture and Interior Decoration,” in which he provided drawings and measurements of his designs. David Watkins, professor of architecture at the University of Cambridge, explains “Hope is a bit like Palladio in the way he intended his book to be a handbook, to instruct and be imitated. “Hope’s presence is still prevalent in antique reproductions. According to Robert Israel of Kentshire Galleries in Manhattan, “People don’t know Hope’s name, but they are aware of the inspiration.”
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Image of Thomas Hope courtesy of Regency Ramble- Regency Style
For more information about Thomas Hope please visit:
Victoria & Albert Museum- Thomas Hope: Regency Designer
New York Times Art & Design- Thomas Hope
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EXAMPLES OF ROOMS THAT INCORPORATE REGENCY:
Photo featuring Regency courtesy of Hancock & Moore.
Photo featuring Regency courtesy of Hancock & Moore.
Photo featuring Regency courtesy of Hendrix Allardyce.
Photo featuring Regency courtesy of Cote France.
Photo featuring Regency courtesy of Cote France.
OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES:
New York Public Library- England Regency Style
Magazine Antiques on Bnet-The Regency’s Dept to Napoleon
BLOGS:
Design Shrine-The Regency Look Is Hotter Than Ever
BOOKS:
Regency Style by Steven Parissian, April 1996
Classic English Design & Antiques: Period Style and Furnishings by Emily Eerdmans, Hyde Park Antiques Collection, and Mario Buatta, November 2006
Regency Furniture by Frances Collard, January 2007
Regency Redux by Emily Eerdmands, Kelly Wearstler, available October 2008
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