Viennese Biedermeier table, ca. 1815

An exquisitely refined rectangular Viennese table with twin flaps to the long sides. With a single drawer to the front, which is closed by a sliding top. The table stands on elegant tapering legs terminating in brass castors and are united by an under-tier.
The shape and form of the furniture piece is emphasised by the contrasting combination of ebony and lemon wood. Overall, the surfaces are correspondingly decorated with attractive veneers, the lemon wood outlined by the ebony, which in turn has brass surrounds. All of this accentuates the sober but incredibly refined lines of the table. The tapered legs also feature ebony along the corners and are veneered with curved lemon wood, giving the legs a slightly rounded silhouette.

This table is a typical example of the progressive and innovative Viennese design of the early nineteenth century. As a reaction to the more pompous, elaborate French Empire style, a lighter style of furniture was developed in Vienna giving more attention to its function. This table dates from the beginning of this new Biedermeier style.

The innovative character of the beginning of this period, with its attention for rounded surfaces and delicate structures, eventually led to a new form of furniture featuring an increasingly delicate construction, in which elegance and delicateness prevailed. This highly refined style ultimately formed the basis for the furniture makers of the Biedermeier era.

Provenance:
Private collection Belgium