Sofa

The presented sofa, which looks like two connected armchairs, is closest to the modern idea of the Louis Philippe style. The term describes the fashion that began in the time of Louis Philippe I - the last ruler of France of the Bourbon dynasty (Orleans branch), reigning in the years 1830-1848. At that time, the bourgeoisie came to the fore in the state, curbing the absolutist inclinations of Charles X. The new wealthy social class dictated the aesthetic rules and needs. Interior design and furniture making evoked various past historical styles: Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo, as can be seen in the example of the described sofa. Because of this, furniture referred to as Louis Philippe-style is very diverse, depending on the era on which they are based. Seats were frequently fashioned after Rococo models, which were seen as synonymous with comfort. However, it is easy to distinguish the more bulky Louis Philippe furniture with thicker and repetitive ornaments from the refined and light original rococo models. It is worth remembering that Polish furniture making was influenced by both the French style of Louis Philippe and the bourgeois Biedermeier style from Germany and Austria. Teresa Bagińska-Żurawska https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9243-3967