European antiques are interesting to collectors not just for their aesthetic value, but for their ability to shed light on the history of a specific period. It is interesting to note that the design of furniture and other European antiques were largely a reflection of the ruling style of the reigning monarch. In some cases, the antiques of the subsequent period represent a rebellion against the former monarch. Therefore, you will often see a period of highly ornate design followed by a period of more utilitarian furnishings, and vice versa. Even more interesting than the design preferences of the monarchs, is how they were influenced by the women in their lives, particularly the "other women." Take, for example, Madame Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV. Four years after her marriage, she was introduced to Louis XV at a masquerade ball. She left her husband and moved to Versailles to become Louis's mistress. Life in Versailles adhered to a strict code of etiquette that Louis found quite boring. Madame Pompadour rescued him from this state of ennui by bringing artists and artisans to the palace. Along with stimulating Louis's libido, she stimulated his interest in architecture and the decorative arts and encouraged him to distribute large amounts of royal wealth to artists, craftsman and artisans. She was responsible for promoting the porcelain factory at Sevres, which produced its finest china. She developed a more feminine style than Louis XIV, which is sometimes called "Pompadour style." After the mobs of revolutionaries stormed the Versailles in 1789, her furnishings were sold to English and Russian noblemen. The next time you look at a European antique, try to imagine its history.
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