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Jacobean

Jacobean Style

The Jacobean period is here restricted to the reign of James I, which is one of transition, when the Tudor style was being more steadily impressed by the Renaissance. We find a much greater use of textiles and sombre colours than was common in the contemporary Renaissance work of Italy, France, and Germany. Structural details and ornamentation are still heavy. Pillars have the bulbous swellings, the broad projecting rings of the Elizabethan era, and these are even found on colonnettes with classic bases and capitals. The pilaster diminishes towards the base, is panelled and often has a human bust and head for capital. Wainscoting was very general, with bold mouldings, sunken and raised panels, and some carving, including strapwork, heraldic decoration, jewelling, “Romayne work” (medallion portraits in conjunction with scrolls and strapwork), and laurelling (bands of orderly arranged bay leaves). The carving was usually bold, well-rounded, and much undercut. Turning was robust and complicated. Plasterwork was also strong and used for ceilings, walls, cornices, dripstones, etc.

Colour was used for painting flowers, figures, scenery, and grotesques, applied to ceilings and panels and also for covering or outlining mouldings and plasterwork. We also find the use of metal and coloured stone inlays, marquetry, lacquering, and gilding.

Ornaments include such broad divisions as strapwork, jewelling (raised cabochons, diamonds, squares, etc.), channelling (grooving, reeding, fluting), laurelling (including bands of bay leaves, oak leaves, and vine leaves), diapering and notching (scooped pear drops, billets, panels, etc.), and cabling. Favourite motifs were the Tudor rose dimidiated with the Scottish thistle, lunettes (combinations of the crescent), tulips, pomegranates, acanthus leaves, rue, hearts, dragons and foliated and floriated scrolls, gadroons (ruffles) and guilloches.