1689–1702
William & Mary
Dutch restraint arrives with a new dynasty
The joint monarchy brought Dutch craftsmen and Dutch taste to England, and English furniture changed shape almost overnight. Tall backs, turned legs, marquetry and a preference for walnut over oak are the marks of it.
It is the quiet beginning of the English sequence: nothing here is as grand as the Baroque on the continent, and everything after it inherits the proportions.
What to look for
Walnut instead of oak, floral marquetry, turned legs joined by an X or a curved stretcher.
Searches for this entry are still being collected.