F.U.R.N.I.T.U.R.E
Furniture is movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g.,
chairs,
stools, tables and sofas) and sleeping (e.g., beds). Furniture is also
used to hold objects at a convenient height for work (as horizontal
surfaces above the ground, such as tables and desks), or to store things
(e.g., cupboards and shelves). Furniture can be a product of design and
is considered a form of
decorative art.
In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or
religious purpose. It can be made from many materials, including metal,
plastic, and wood. Furniture can be made using a variety of
woodworking joints which often reflect the local culture.
People have been using natural objects, such as tree stumps, rocks
and moss, as furniture since the beginning of human civilisation.
Archaeological research shows that from around 30,000 years ago, people
began constructing and carving their own furniture, using wood, stone,
and animal bones. Early furniture from this period is known from artwork
such as a
Venus figurine found in
Russia, depicting the goddess on a throne. The first surviving extant furniture is in the homes of
Skara Brae in
Scotland, and includes cupboards, dressers and beds all constructed from stone. Complex construction techniques such as
joinery begain in the
early dynastic period of
Egypt, with constructed wooden pieces including
stools and tables, sometimes decorated with valuable metals or ivory. The evolution of furniture design continued in
ancient Greece and
ancient Rome, with thrones being commonplace as well as the
klinai, multipurpose couches used for relaxing, eating, and sleeping. The furniture of the
Middle Ages was usually heavy,
oak, and ornamented. Furniture design expanded during the Italian
Renaissance
of the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in
both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often
gilded
Baroque designs. The nineteenth century is usually defined by
revival styles. The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards
Modernism. One unique outgrowth of post-modern furniture design is a return to natural shapes and textures.
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Sumber: Wikipedia
