Furniture in baroque paintings in Malta

Abstract

The concept of my work in this Art historical study is primarily to understand the importance furniture has in art works, and more importantly in my case, to find the relevance of furniture pieces, in Baroque paintings. I tried to research the fashion of Baroque interiors primarily, in order to ultimately prove whether the furniture depicted in these paintings was based on realistic interpretation of the items of furniture found within households of the 17th and 18th centuries, or whether they were simple or invented versions of such fittings. I have always been intrigued by furniture and interior design, both of contemporary times and those interiors with fittings now considered as Antiques. It is on these antiques that my study depends on the most, as it is these types of furnishings that help decorate the interiors or exteriors of the scenes depicted in the paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries, namely Baroque Paintings. The dissertation begins with a general overview of the types of fittings that are found in Baroque works, and ultimately the themes that these types of furniture are mostly depicted in. A part of the text is also dedicated to a synoptic survey of the interiors of the aristocratic households. Here I gave importance not only to furniture but the entire surroundings. This part of the course work was in my opinion, without doubt necessary research for a better understanding of the fashion and the utility of the furnishings of the time. A thorough understanding of the interiors of the higher class, and those of the lower classes eventually helped organize my thoughts and understanding of the furniture depicted in the paintings under study. This study of Antique surroundings would have certainly been a difficult task without the assistance of Joseph Galea Naudi; who I am greatly indebted too.