18th Century Furniture - Scandinavia

In the early 1700s, Sweden, previously the dominant Protestant power of continental Europe, had lost major lands and her position in the Holy Roman Empire.
However, by 1727, plans for a grand royal palace in Stockholm, that had first been drawn up in the 1600s, were re-instated. The design for the palace's facade remained Roman Baroque, but the interior followed the French Rococo style. During this project, French and Italian sculptors, painters, and craftsmen worked in Stockholm and many pieces of French furniture were imported. The French style also influenced the nobility's choice of handmade furniture although British and Low Country designs were also widely imitated by chair and cabinet makers.
The Scandinavian use of indigenous softwoods led to much of the furniture being painted, and this gave Scandinavian furniture a distinctive look of its own.

Swedish Console Table
A Swedish neoclassic gilt-lead-mounted giltwood and green-painted console table. The rectangular gray marble top above an anthemion-mounted frieze on scrolled leaf-carved legs ending in paw feet and on a plinth base.

Norway and Denmark

Norway remained part of Denmark during the 18th century, and was closely linked to northern Germany. Furniture makers were heavily influenced, therefore, by the German form of Rococo, and the guilds in both Denmark and Norway were based on the system in Germany.

Furniture, now reproduction furniture was also influenced by designs from Britain and the Low Countries, this was mainly because of the large amount of furniture that was being imported.

Swedish Cupboard

This cupboard shows how the standard Germanic form was adapted to suit changing fashions. Its upper case shows the influence of Low Country styles, and is far less heavy than earlier architectural models. Its curved cornice has less of an overhang. The drawers and doors are cross-binded with veneer and the grain of the veneer gives movement to the piece. Bracket feet, rather than turned balls, support a base with straight drawers, which shows the influence of British style.

Scandinavian Chairs

Chairs were often made in a variety of styles and were often painted. Side chairs had cabriole legs and a solid splat, often with a 'keyhole' pierced through the upper section, just under a central shell carving in the crest rail. Like British examples, the stiles were curved, becoming straight at the junction of the back legs. Designs tended to be conservative, and, in Denmark especially, high-backed chairs with stretchers remained popular well into the 18th century.

Between 1746 and 1748, the government banned the import of chairs that has been made abroad. This stifled innovation and meant that less fashionable styles of British chair, like those seen in the reign of George I, remained popular.

Towards the middle of the century, chairs like the French fauteuil, but with low upholstered backs and turned legs, became popular. Sofas in the shape of two or three chairs placed together were fairly common, as were stools with legs and carving that matched that of the chairs. Sometimes these pieces of non fitted furniture were painted, but solid beech or walnut chairs were also made. Elongated, upholstered sofas appeared in the 1750s. These were often painted in light colours, with gilt details.

Swedish Armchair

A swedish Rococo cut and painted armchair.