Why the furniture of the master from the province has remained at the peak of popularity for 250 years: Thomas Chippendale

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

For one chair, once made by his hands, now they are ready to pay more than for a whole house - after all, now such a chair is no longer just a part of the interior, it is a work of art. Thomas Chippendale became the most famous English furniture maker, and his life story showed what heights a professional in love with his work can achieve when talent and conscientious work are combined with a business approach and a well-thought-out advertising campaign.

Went to London as the son of a provincial carpenter armed only with craft and ambition

Thomas Chippendale was born in the village of Otley in Yorkshire in 1718, the son of John the carpenter and his first wife Mary, nee Drake. In those days, little was expected from the furniture that was made for the English house: strength, simplicity and durability, the main materials were oak, walnut and ash. The craftsmen were not required to show imagination, the same skills were passed from generation to generation, and when young Thomas began to help his father in his business, it seemed that he was destined for the same simple and artless working life as thousands of fellows in the profession. But the young Chippendale turned out to be much more ambitious than Chippendale Sr., besides, as further events will show, he had an excellent business acumen.

In the workshop of his father, Thomas learned the basics of the craft, in addition to this, he studied in York, with the furniture maker Richard Wood, and at the age of 21 he went to the capital - only London could help him realize all his ideas. By this time, Thomas's mother had died ten years ago, his father had remarried, the young man did not hold anything in Otley - and the tempting opportunities that the capital of a huge and powerful empire provided to enterprising young people opened up ahead.

London in the 18th century was a special world, completely different from the rest of England. The city was full of goods from overseas colonies, the rich and bored aristocrats, it was fashionable to buy and surprise - exquisite things that would demonstrate the refined taste of their owner were appreciated. It is clear that with such a demand for everything new and beautiful, the chances of a master to succeed were quite high. And Chippendale, in addition to being an excellent carpenter and very careful in the manufacture of each piece of furniture, also managed to make himself an excellent advertisement.

Workshop on St. Martins Street and the Director's catalog

In 1748, Thomas Chippendale married, his chosen one, Catherine Redshaw, gave birth to five sons and four daughters during the marriage. The family initially rented a small house near Covent Garden. Over time, Chippendale acquired regular clients, among them was the wealthy Scotsman James Ranney, who decided to invest a substantial sum in the talented master's business.

In 1754, Chippendale rented three buildings - 60, 61 and 62 on St. Martins Street, where he lived with his family, and his business developed there. Another partner, Thomas Haig, entered the business, workers were hired, and Chippendale began to work on the first book-catalog in the history of furniture production, in fact, it became a large advertising publication dedicated to his furniture.

It was the "Gentleman's and Cabinetmaker's Guide", or "Director" - under the short title of the book and gained worldwide fame. The publication featured two hundred copper engravings and one hundred and sixty designs from Chippendale: chairs, coffee tables, wardrobes, fireplace screens and dozens of other pieces of furniture made in the new style.

Mahogany was then an extremely fashionable and sought-after material. Brought in the first third of the 18th century from the West Indies, it quickly gained popularity among aristocrats and art lovers - and the furniture that Chippendale made became very fashionable. Mahogany products were expensive, but they also looked much more spectacular than those made from classic wood species.

Mahogany, thanks to its durability and good workability, has begun to fill London living rooms. Chests of drawers, armchairs, sofas, beds - everything was decorated with patterns and carvings, meticulous and intricate. Chippendale introduced the “ribbon backs” of chairs into fashion, which allowed to achieve the effect of lightness and grace, while maintaining the comfort and strength of the furniture. The legs were made in the "cabriole" style - with a double S-shaped bend, a relief ornament in the upper part and a base in the form of a bird's or lion's paw.

Furniture made in this way lost its external massiveness, gave the impression of luxurious and elegant at the same time, and therefore gained fame as the best in the history of the British Isles. Chippendale's works were attributed to the "English Rococo", noting in them austerity and restraint, not characteristic of French furniture, which, moreover, was often completely covered with gilding - while Chippendale and English craftsmen in general preferred not to hide the natural shade of the wood.”Became for the aristocrats of that time also a textbook of good taste. It is noteworthy that this edition in the French version added to the library of Catherine II and Louis XVI.

Chippendale style

The book served as a guide for other craftsmen - in the wake of the wave of demand for Chippendale furniture, many of them began to adopt the new style. Other famous furniture makers, Thomas Sheraton and George Happlewhite, who, in turn, inspired Chippendale to new creative discoveries, also worked in approximately the same spirit. He worked closely with architects, often receiving orders to decorate the interiors of houses - both the building and its interior decoration turned out to be made in the same style.

Chippendale became one of the first designers of his time, his company not only made furniture, but also entered into contracts with those experts who were not in the workshop, so curtains, clocks and mirrors appeared in clients' homes. Large mansion owners often became clients, leaving significant commissions, and the Chippendale business flourished. The Director was reprinted twice - in 1759 and in 1762, collecting descriptions of all types of furniture that existed at that time.

The first wife of Thomas Chippendade died in 1772, five years later he remarried, to Elizabeth Davis. In 1779, the family moved to a house in Hoxton, and in the same year Chippendale died of tuberculosis. His sons continued his business, under the leadership of Thomas Chippendale, Jr. By that time, Chippendale furniture was already known and popular overseas, in the USA, it could be seen in the palaces of different countries, including Russia.

As for those pieces of furniture, to which the master himself had a hand, their value for collectors only grows over time. The cost of one chair by Chippendale at auctions can reach half a million dollars, and a cabinet-cabinet - and more than a million.

More about how the interior of an English house might look like: Chatsworth House.