Biedermeier style

Biedermeier style, in art, transitional period between Neoclassicism and Romanticism as it was interpreted by the bourgeoisie, particularly in Germany, Austria, northern Italy, and the Scandinavian countries. Following the Napoleonic sieges, the Biedermeier style grew during a period of economic impoverishment from 1825 to 1835. The name Biedermeier was derogatory because it was based on the caricature “Papa Biedermeier,” a comic symbol of middle-class comfort. Such comfort emphasized family life and private activities, especially letter writing (giving prominence to the secretary desk) and the pursuit of hobbies. No Biedermeier household was complete without a piano as an indispensable part of the popularized soiree. Soirees perpetuated the rising middle class’s cultural interests in books, writing, dance, and poetry readings—all subject matter for Biedermeier painting, which was either genre or historical and most often sentimentally treated. The most representative painters include Franz Krüger, Georg Friedrich Kersting, Julius Oldach, Carl Spitzweg, and Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller.

Biedermeier furniture derives essentially from the Empire and Directoire styles; while plump and naively grotesque at its worst, it did often reach remarkable simplicity, sophistication, and functionality. Stylistically, Biedermeier furniture softened the rigidity of the Empire style and added weight to Directoire; it made the elevation of Empire realistic and the delicacy of Directoire durable. While Empire was grandiose and usually of dark woods with ormolu mounts, Biedermeier—identifying more closely with Directoire in this sense—was executed in light, native woods and avoided the use of metal ornamentation. Surfaces were modulated with natural grains, knotholes, or ebonized accents for contrast; though modest, inlay was occasionally used. An identifying feature of Biedermeier furniture is its extremely restrained geometric appearance. Some furniture took on new roles; for example, the table à milieu, rather than an isolated centrepiece, became the family table, around which chairs were set for evening activities.

In general, the Biedermeier style offered visual evidence of the conflict of ideas between Classicism and Romanticism that continued during the first half of the 19th century. With time the Biedermeier style was romanticized: straight lines became curved and serpentine; simple surfaces became more and more embellished beyond the natural materials; humanistic form became more fantastic; and textures became experimental. Yet the original focus on lightness, utilitarianism, and individuality characterized a revival of the Biedermeier style during the mid-1960s.