Evening star., 1932-02-27
ENGLISH IMPRINT
SEEN IN i. S. OF '6
Study of EarIy American
Homes Reveals Slight
Influence of Wars.
BY CHARLES MEssER STOW.


Artistic periods by no means have
coincided with historical events. The
Spanish War, for instance, left no i'm
print on furniture styles Neither did
the Revolutionary War. National af-
fairs, as such, have not influenced ar
tistic trends. Rather has the influence
come from other sources, particularly
the manner of life. and Of all the years
which America has lived through the
formative period of the eighteenth CEN
tury up to the Revolution has had the
greatest influence for good, esthetically
speaking.
In order to get something of a per-
Spective on the years of George Wash
ington which are shortly to be set be-
fore us in pageant and exhibition it
might be in order to take a rapid and
sketchy look at this important period.
Started in England.
1t began with the Queen Anne styles.
In England most of the Queen Anne
furniture was made of walnut. Much
Of that made in America after the de-
signs in vogue in England was also of
walnut though the eommoner woods,
such as maple and cherry, were used
to great extent and the styles held
over after the introduction of ma
hogany.
The Queen Anne period in England
was the beginning of a more intimate
and social manner of living than
people had been used to- 1t marked
the introduction of good manners and
the cultivation of social graces. 1t de-
fined for the first time the elegance
that we have come to associate with
good breeding. 1t led up to the re-
naissance of art and letters that was
reflected in the master cabinetmaking
OF Chippendale and it was the founda-
ton of the refinement that came later
in the time of Adam and Hepplewhite
and Sheraton.
Now in America these phases of hu-
man intercourse went on simultaneous
1y. and the concomitant styles of furni-
ture appeared here only a few months
or years after they had become the
fashion in England. Thus the eight
zenith century in America was not far
behind the same period in England in
the elegance of its social life, the re-
flnement of its architecture and the
beauty Of its furniture. Household ap-
pointments were equally fine.
After the Queen Anne styles had
passed out Of fashion and the Chip
pendale designs had been accepted
as the models for furnishing we find
the American cabinetmakers turning
out as fine work as those of England
and even venturing on an occasional
development Of their own, such as the
block-front style.
Many Articles Imported.
The houses In which George Wash
tngton was entertaining before the
Revolution had fine mahogany furni-
ture, Oriental rugs, Oriental porce-
lains, fine cut glass, beautiful silver,
English porcelain and cream-colored
ware, paintings, prints, chintzes, dam
asks, needlework-in short, all the
articles of beauty and utility that
added to the amenities Of life In Eng
land. Some Of these articles were
made In this country, some were i'm
ported. The manufacturing era In
America had not yet dawned.
After the Revolution life went on
much the same and the houses had
fine furnishings, though Chippendale
as model had been supplanted by
Hepplewhite and Sheraton. The gen
eral feeling perhaps was a thought
more austere, as befitted a country
just admitted to the fellowship of the
nations, but up to the time Of Wash
ington's death In 1899 an elegant
SIanoard OF living was reflected in
elegant furniture and decorative ac-
ceSSories
Interest in the eighteenth century
and its importance is inevitable, and
as evidence that it has begun NAV
be mentioned the fact that the COM
memorative exhibitions will display
not only Washingtoniana but also
the furniture and furnishings typical
OF his time. Another proof Is the
fact that there happens to be a re-
turn to eighteenth century styles in
the new furniture that Is being made.
do not believe that this return In
this year was premeditated. 1t came
naturally in an effort on the part of
furniture designers to provide better
furniture, and to achieve this they
could do no better than to COPY the
eighteenth century.