Liberty Cradle Beech - Austria XIX-XX Century

Style: Art Nouveau (1890-1920)

Historical stylistic period formed from the end of the 19th century (ca. 1890) after the Umbertino style and continued until the First World War.

The current was characterized by the floral influence and the soft and curved lines, typical example are the "whiplashes".

The first signs of this new era came from architects such as Hector Guimard (1867-1942) who created numerous buildings and hotels, but also from people such as Arthur Mackmurdo furniture designer and Arthur Liberty industrialist and London merchant of the late 19th century who began to produce furnishing fabrics with floral motifs with soft and sinuous shapes.

The Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1900 was an important point for the development and affirmation of Liberty in the following decade.

Liberty was called in different ways depending on the nation, universally known as Art-Nouveau and it is thought that Arthur Liberty is the origin of the name given in Italy to this beautiful stylistic movement.

The name Art-Nouveau is thought to derive from a shop located in Paris called Maison de l'Art Nouveau which began to show off furniture with a new and innovative design in its windows.

With the end of the First World War, the naturalistic period of Liberty ended and the Art-Decò style appeared, with more rigid and geometric lines.

Find out more about the Liberty style with our insights:

Art Nouveau: birth and development of a style

Milan Liberty between flowers and colors

Carlo Zen's Liberty

Decorative shapes and elegance in an Liberty living room

FineArt: Aeolus and Cupid, Liberty sculpture by Luca Madrassi

FineArt: Nymph and Faun, Liberty sculpture by Giuseppe Siccardi

The Austrian taste of Baroque

Age:

Main essence: Beech

It is a semi-hard wood which, unfortunately, is easily wormed, therefore it is considered poor. Due to its light but variegated shades, from blond to reddish, it was nevertheless appreciated by French cabinetmakers. It was mainly used for furniture structures or, as an alternative to walnut, by provincial English furniture makers for popular works, mostly in the 1700s. The noblest use is due to Thonèt, who applied the steam bending of the beech in the making of the furniture, in particular for the chairs that took his name.