Beds have been an integral part of European history from the beginning, serving as a place for ceremony, childbirth, socializing, and mourning. The 17th century was arguably the greatest century for beds and textile making; it was even labeled “the century of magnificent beds.” In France especially, exceptional attention was paid to the tiniest of details when creating a bed. In the court of Versailles, a great deal of etiquette and tradition was formed around the royal beds. First formed by Louis XI, this ceremony included various persons of importance, such as lords or dukes, who watched, or sometimes aided the king in getting up or going to bed. This ceremony was to show the extent of royal power and that it extended far beyond the throne itself.
The delicate patterns, pastel hues, and silk fabrics that are often used in French beds and bedding are what intrigues me the most. There is a soft femininity in the beds that encompasses the 17th century French aesthetic that, for me, is the epitome of elegance, opulence, grandeur, and history.
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