Victorian Era
Rococo Revival
(Mid 1800s to Early 1900s)
John Henry Belter - New York, USA - Rococo Revival - (1850-60)
Source: The Met Museum
The Victorian Era is quite harder to describe in terms of design characteristics than the previous design styles mentioned in my earlier posts. One of the reasons for this is that the Victorian Era is marked by the Industrial Revolution. Before, everything had to be made by hand and was therefore, very expensive to produce and only available to the wealthy. After the invention of new technology during the Industrial Revolution, complicated and detailed designs were now easy and fast to produce. In the Victorian Era, lots of different styles were available to the mass and everybody could afford home decoration in quantities. This Era is, therefore, known for it’s excess, and it’s eccentricity, frivolity and eclecticism.
The Rococo Revival style is one of the most eccentric and recognizable style during this period. This settee was made by the American designer John Henry Belter in the mid-1800s and is a typical settee of this style. The characteristics to look for in a Rococo Revival furniture piece are the following:
Cabriolet Legs
Curves and Curvilinear shape
Lots of carved details!
Naturalistic ornamentation (fruits, flowers and vines are typical motifs)
The wood used was often dark. Rosewood and Ash were typical. Colors could be bright and vibrant and typical motifs used for the upholstery were the damask (like in this case) and floral patterns. Basically, the Rococo Revival of the Victorian Era was as busy and detailed as possible.
Also, here is a good trick to differentiate the Victorian Rococo Revival style from its original French Rococo inspiration. The newer Victorian, thanks to the new technology could be made with detailed patterns that were now “see-through” rather than solid.
Modern Rococo Revival Inspired Interior
Source: www.pinterest.com/pin/494973815270885916/
This interior is very modern in its overall minimalist look, but this settee and footstool definitely change the look and feel of this décor. We can immediately recognize the Victorian Rococo Revival style on those two pieces of furniture. The cabriolet legs as well as the particular curvilinear shape of the settee are the features representative to the styles. The carved details on the wood are very much toned down compare to the previous original Victorian example, but it is still present. Dark wood is also a characteristic to look for. In those modern pieces, the upholstery is changed to a neutral rich black colour rather than a colourful and floral pattern distinctive of the true Victorian style.
The Victorian Era spans over a period of about 100 years, from about the mid 1800s until the mid 1900s. It is a period of big changes, characterized by the Industrial Revolution. To me, the Victorian style is in general too busy and clustered for my taste. I much prefer simplicity and elegance. But I have to admit, that I absolutely love the charm and sensuality of this modern Victorian inspired settee on this beautiful interior. I truly believe that adding a tasteful historical Victorian piece to a décor can really add spirit and drama to a room.
I hope you enjoyed. Next post will be about the Art Nouveau movement! Cheers!