Biedermeier furniture

The name Biedermeier refers to the period 1815-48, particularly in Central Europe. Historically, the two dates represent the Congress of Vienna that redrew the map of Europe after the Napoleonic Wars and the “Year of Revolutions” that convulsed many European capitals and ushered in a new era of unrest.

Socially, this period saw the rise of the middle class (or “bourgeoisie”) but also a self-imposed modesty brought about by difficult economic conditions. People looked to live in some degree of comfort, as befitted their status and the fact that the focus was now placed on the home environment in a more peaceful era. However, with money in short supply, elegance and comfort had to be affordable.

“Biedermeier”, as a term, derives from two comic characters, named Biedermann and Bummelmeier, who appeared in poems published in a Munich literary magazine late in this period and which were later satirized for their “petit bourgeois” sentiment under the combined name of Biedermeier. As with most epochs, it was only recognised and named long after it had ended.

In terms of furniture design, Biedermeier marks a transition between the classicism of the “Empire” period and the diverse trends of the later 19^th century (neo-Rococo in southern Europe and neo-Gothic in the north). In general, the emphasis is on elegance without undue ostentation, and the results are often very appealing to a modern eye.

One of the most popular forms of furniture was the sofa, which could seat up to four people in comfort. The frames were elegantly styled with gentle curves and minimal decoration, and they were well and tastefully upholstered. The proportions were generous enough to provide good support, and thus comfort. Armchairs were made according to the same principles.

Middle-class European people tended to live in houses with large high-ceilinged rooms, by modern standards, and they needed large pieces of furniture to fill them. Biedermeier pieces therefore tend to be quite bulky in appearance and not well suited to modern homes. These included highly polished grand pianos which would double as surfaces for the display of clocks, porcelain and floral decorations.

However, the cupboards and tables of the period were always functional first and decorative second. That said, the use of highly polished mahogany would give a large sideboard, for example, a real presence in a room. Some pieces show their “Empire” ancestry with gilt plaster and decorative columns, but these features are rarely overstated.

As the Biedermeier period reached its end, differences could be detected between, for example, the furniture produced in the southern German states (and Austria) and in Prussia, etc. Southern taste was for lighter fruitwoods such as cherry and maple and there was only limited use of inlays and veneers. Pieces would be made with increasing delicacy, with curved legs and a degree of carving. Further north, mahogany would be preferred, with more severe lines and darker coloured upholstery.

The Biedermeier period was not just one of interior design but of the entire culture of the middle class. The trends in design mirror those of the culture, with Vienna moving towards the “waltz era” of the Strausses and Prussia becoming increasingly severe and militaristic.

The almost “anti-heroic” style of the Biedermeier era could not last. Modesty was not to the taste of southerners, especially when economic conditions relaxed enough to allow them to indulge in greater luxury. Likewise, Prussia under Bismarck and the Junkers had little interest in being anti-heroic. The Biedermeier pieces that we can see today do, however, attract the eye and are well worth seeking out as objects of aesthetic delight, being evidence of what has been described as “the quiet happiness of Biedermeier”.

© John Welford