Evidence of some of the earliest use of beds can be found from medieval period with though very simple even for princes. In the 12th century much more elaborate beds appear with inlay, carving, painting and embroidered coverlets and mattresses To keep out the drafts the bed was enclosed with curtains suspended from the ceiling. Later in the fifteenth century western European beds had a panelled headboard to the full height of the bed with carved posts at the front supporting a canopy or tester, from which hung curtains that enclosed the four bed posts hence ‘four poster bed’
During the 16th century beds became far more elaborate with carving work on the bed head and bedposts one of the best known beds of this type is the Elizabethan great bed of Ware which can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum. In France the desire for these kinds of beds barely survived the beginning of the 17th century with elaborate fabrics, heavy brocades and velvets dominating the bed instead. Later in both France and England this became the prevalent design, King Louis had no fewer than 413 inventoried in his palaces many designed to be full of pomp and ceremony almost theatrical this was born out by King Louis as a his awakening deemed a daily ceremony to be celebrated as an act of state.
Later in the latter part of 18th century the frame became visible again and became the canvas for extravagance intricately carved and gilded in precious metals.
Moving into the 19th century in England, four poster beds became smaller and more popular as dwellings and the bedrooms became smaller where the emphasis was on the design of the front posts often on a vase-turned section resting on block supports.
A handmade carved four poster bed is now well regarded as the ultimate in bedroom furniture. |
