Victorian Furniture Styles: Medieval and Tudor
Medieval styles appealed to the Victorian new rich because they endowed them with a ready-made British heritage. These diverse styles ranged from heavily carved pieces in Norman and Gothic style, through pieces painted with knights and ladies to glittering, heavily encrusted furniture inspired by fourteenth-century work.
Made for exhibition
Most of the things made around the middle of the century in the Victoria and Albert Museum's collections are of `exhibition quality'. They are the crowning achievement of manufacturers trying to outdo the opposition in sumptuous decoration, craftsmanship, technical skill and often simply in sheer size.
The Dr Susan Weber Gallery tells the story of furniture design and production spanning the past 600 years and displays more than 200 outstanding pieces, including chairs, tables, bureaux, stools, chests, cabinets and wardrobes. Designers such as Thomas Chippendale, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eileen Gray, Charles and Ray Eames, Tom Dixon and Ron Arad sit alongside lesser-known names all selected for their superior techniques.
The 19th century was a period of huge growth in Britain, which had a profound effect on art and design. The Industrial Revolution saw Britain become a major manufacturing power, as displayed in the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Victorian period saw the British Empire reach its peak, and designers increasingly looked to the East for inspiration.