It was great fun for me to lecture twice – once in October and again in November – on Early American Furniture at UCLA Extension. I do this lecture quite frequently, so be sure to register for my next one if you haven’t already attended.
The lecture, which includes extensive illustrations, covers the gracefulness and elegance of early American furniture styles and decorative arts. Early American furniture styles from the Pilgrim style of the early colonists, the William and Mary and Chippendale styles popular before the American Revolution, the Sheraton and Hepplewhite furniture of the Federal Period, and the sumptuous forms of the American Classical Revival period are explored.
Additionally, I discuss the influence of individual furniture makers such as Thomas Chippendale, John Townsend, Duncan Phyfe, and Charles Lannuier. I also cross reference the architectural styles and fine arts of the various early American period and talk about the various furniture styles and decorative arts in relation to their interior settings, as well as the social and political influences upon these designs. Finally, construction techniques and types of materials including fabrics, woods, and decorative elements are discussed.
