Biedermeier

The Biedermeier period, has come to refer to an artistic style that was popular in Central Europe from 1815, the year of the end of the Napoleonic Wars signified by the Congress of Vienna and 1848 the year of mass popular uprisings across Europe. The style encompassed the visual arts, interior design, literature and music.

The characteristics of the furniture design style were based on utilitarian principles, with clean lines and minimal ornamentation. It developed in Germany and became popular extending into Austria and Scandinavia. The style was a simplified interpretation of the the classic French Empire style from the Napoleon I era which itself was heavily influenced by the design aesthetics of the ancient Roman Empire. The Biedermeier style developed over the 1815-1848 period, from being a reaction against the fussiness of the Romantic era to increasing ornamentation as the rising middle classes wanted to show off their newfound wealth.

The Biedermeier artisans used locally available materials such as oak, ash and cherry wood rather than expensive imported mahogany. The concept of utilitarian design and clean lines resurfaced in the 20th Century and still has its influence today. There was a revival of the style prompted by exhibitions at the Vienna Applied Arts Museum in 1896 and the Bauhaus was also influenced by the ‘truth in material’ philosophy.