Louis XVI Style: Antiquity revised to today’s taste

This French decorative style emerged around 1774 coinciding with the early reign of King Louis XVI. At that time, France was exiting the lavish periods of the Regency and the reign of Louis XV where the Rococo style dictated the decorative arts supremely. At the end of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift towards a return to antique forms, more restraint in decorations, the suppression of all these curves and contrast-curves that were hallmarks of the Rococo style. It was Cochin in 1754 who began this returning trend with his Supplique aux Orfèvres (Supplication to Silversmiths) in 1754. The rediscovery of ancient Antique sites fulfill the rest.

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A rediscovery of forms.

The Louis XVI style flourished from 1774 to about 1785. During this period we notice a strong European commitment to return to the forms and canons of Antiquity. This was motivated by the rediscovery of ancient texts and especially by the unearthing in 1738 and 1748 the sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried cities since the eruption of Vesuvius in August 79. This impacted a movement in the decorative arts. The commissions and artworks of this period attest to this return to Classicism. Artists were inspired greatly by the Antique style and motifs found in the remains, such as local travel diaries, sketches, collections by figures like Winckelmann, who related their trip to Italy via their images. At this time the importance of the "Grand Tour" was launched.  It being a sort of archaeological tourism or visiting Italy to discover the ruins.

Rebirth of a lost Antiquity.

This was not the first time that a specific era was based on the Antiquity and as a model on the cultural or artistic level. In fact the Renaissance is considered as the first golden age of ancient rebirth. But that tradition was then lost. Antiquity is subsequently ignored even if some elements remained such as traditional allegories (Louis XIV represented as Apollo, Roman god of the sun, etc.). So at the end of Louis XV’s reign this style was rediscovered in the decorative arts, furniture, architecture (eg the ancient church of Saint Genevieve, the Pantheon in Paris today, realized by Soufflot) which flourished during the reign of Louis XVI.

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Louis XVI Style adopts all the typical elements of ornamentation that was found at the time of Antiquity. Therefore fluted columns, gargoyles, rounded oval-like forms such as cameos, incense-burners, pediments, resumption of antique bestiary in ornamental motifs, vases, etc. All combined with sleek

The incense burners ...

The form of these incense burners were typically inspired by Antiquity. We find in the support section a fluted column, on a molded base based on ancient Antique column bases. The incense-burners are designed as vases and have in the upper oval a small pedestal adopting the Antique version which sometimes adorned the parapets of temples. For the handles, grotesque masks designed with ibex’s heads demonstrate the revision of Antique decorative elements found on works by silversmiths and other objects in general during this period. These incense burners illustrate another particularity. The lids turn and remove from the incense burners and form a candlestick decorated with palmettes  to accommodate a candle.

The Louis XVI Style emulated.

“Louis XVI” or “Louis XVI Style”? That is the question. This question arises often with art objects of this type. And for good reason. The Louis XVI Style was the most copied in the 19th century. The adaption of Antiquity intensifies and with it a string of earlier styles were reinterpreted, resulting in a kind of composite and pastiche of the past. Thus we see compositions flourish, works pretending to be Louis XVI but are Louis XVI Style such as is the case for these incense burners. We differentiate these works with their denominations. Those made under Louis XVI are Louis XVI, those made in the 19th century are called "style". Adapted, some elements are more sober, less marked, combined with others but this does not detract from their quality, value and preciousness.

The style of Louis XVI was therefore an artistic reference of that time, very popular for its pure lines,  fine gilding, discrete patterns such as pine cones, beads, grotesque masks, etc.

These incense burners put on sale today by Expertissim represent the beauty of this ancient style, so popular in the 19th century.  It is ideal for adorning and glorifying interiors, for example, by obviating the tops of chimney, small consoles and diverse furniture.

Suzanne Kabanda (Etudiante à l’I.E.S.A.)

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