Biedermeier is a cultural movement that originated from Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and the subsequent political reorganisation of Western Europe. As France’s influence waned and a new era of peace and stability settled over the continent, so the concept of Biedermeier evolved in Austria, Germany, Northern Italy, and Scandinavia.
In essence, the term Biedermeier refers to a feeling or state of mind most closely associated with friendship, warmth, and cosiness. The term itself is somewhat derogatory and is taken from Gottlieb Biedermaier, a pseudonym of the German poets Adolf Kussmaul and Ludwig Eichrodt whose satirical works poked fun at the bourgeoisie.
In both the art and literary worlds, the Biedermeier movement saw makers turn away from the topics of politics and social commentary. As an alternative, writers turned their focus toward historical fiction and rural life, while visual artists favoured the wholesome sentimentality of the genre painting.
Unusually, Biedermeier represents the first modern cultural movement driven by the newly established middles classes. As European cities rapidly industrialised in the early 19th century, so a new class of white-collar workers emerged, with the spending power to furnish their homes for the first time.
Enterprising manufacturers adapted their designs to meet this burgeoning market and the new Biedermeier taste had a major impact on furniture and interior fashions. The popular characteristics of neoclassical French furniture were rejected as customers prioritised comfort and simplicity over the ormolu extravagances of Parisian ebénistes.
Rather than working in expensive imported dark woods, such as mahogany or ebony, furniture makers utilised light, native timbers like walnut, oak, and cherry wood. Biedermeier pieces were usually geometric in their design with few design features except for the character added by the emphasis of natural grains or knot holes in the timber selected.
This sophisticated simplicity means that Biedermeier furniture seems remarkably contemporary more than 200 years later and continues to be a firm favourite with interior designers throughout the world.
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