The History of the Chaise Lounge (or Longue?)
Welcome to the best chaise longue site on the net. We'll start things off with a little history lesson. If you have any questions please contact us.
The term chaise lounge is the Americanisation or, as some believe, is in fact a miss-translation of the French term chaise longue. There is no denying that the word's origin is French and translates directly into English as long chair. This has led the word to become associated with the sun lounger or similar outdoor garden furniture. This may indeed be appropriate, since the chaise lounge has strong origins as a haven for someone to relax and lounge on.
It is often a misconception that the origins of the chaise lounge is French, and with such a French name it would be an easy mistake to make. In fact, the birth of the chaise lounge was a good distance away from our arty French friends and it is believed to have begun in North East Africa during Ancient Egyptian times.
Around 4500 years ago, the great Pharaohs of Egypt were found to relax on chaise lounges due to the high heat during the day while servants would look after them. We know this as there is a lot of ancient art depicting these scenarios.
It is a similar scene from ancient Greece, where art shows Greek gods pictured on chaise lounges. Rulers of Greece were also shown to have used the chaise to lounge upon during the day. What is interesting in both cases that the chaise lounge was for the elite in society, for rulers to relax on while others got on with work around them. What a life!
The chaise lounge did not make its way into French living rooms until the 16th century. During its transition from Egypt to France the chaise lounge had evolved a great deal, and had gained a backrest for reclining rather than just single arm rest.
The French developed their own unique chaise lounge known as a Recaimer, which came about during the 18th century. The Recaimer chaise looks very similar in structure but what makes it unique is that it has two ends. The name Recamier has developed from a Portrait of Madame Récamier during the 18th century by Jacques Louis David. The portrait showed her reclining on a chaise lounge of this kind.
The chaise lounge made its way into Britain and America during the 18th century. It became a fashion statement of the rich and famous and was a must-have item in wealthy homes. The popularity of the chaise lounge has snow-balled since this time and is seen in homes throughout the world. One widely agreed reason for this is due to the mass production of this product making it more affordable for the general public.
Since the 1990s there has been a few subtle changes to the chaise lounge and designers have created a more modern and contemporary design. It shares similar features of the other collective chaise styles but the piece has refined edges and distinguished angles, while maintaining the functionality of its origins. The ongoing development from designers tweaking the style of the chaise lounge has certainly helped the longevity of keeping it a desirable product.
The chaise lounge has evolved a great deal since its Egyptian origins, and has adapted to new generations throughout time. The piece is now widely considered to be French, and is certainly more popular than ever due to its recently affordable price tag.
Author: Cody Hensley
The term chaise lounge is the Americanisation or, as some believe, is in fact a miss-translation of the French term chaise longue. There is no denying that the word's origin is French and translates directly into English as long chair. This has led the word to become associated with the sun lounger or similar outdoor garden furniture. This may indeed be appropriate, since the chaise lounge has strong origins as a haven for someone to relax and lounge on.
It is often a misconception that the origins of the chaise lounge is French, and with such a French name it would be an easy mistake to make. In fact, the birth of the chaise lounge was a good distance away from our arty French friends and it is believed to have begun in North East Africa during Ancient Egyptian times.
Around 4500 years ago, the great Pharaohs of Egypt were found to relax on chaise lounges due to the high heat during the day while servants would look after them. We know this as there is a lot of ancient art depicting these scenarios.
It is a similar scene from ancient Greece, where art shows Greek gods pictured on chaise lounges. Rulers of Greece were also shown to have used the chaise to lounge upon during the day. What is interesting in both cases that the chaise lounge was for the elite in society, for rulers to relax on while others got on with work around them. What a life!
The chaise lounge did not make its way into French living rooms until the 16th century. During its transition from Egypt to France the chaise lounge had evolved a great deal, and had gained a backrest for reclining rather than just single arm rest.
The French developed their own unique chaise lounge known as a Recaimer, which came about during the 18th century. The Recaimer chaise looks very similar in structure but what makes it unique is that it has two ends. The name Recamier has developed from a Portrait of Madame Récamier during the 18th century by Jacques Louis David. The portrait showed her reclining on a chaise lounge of this kind.
The chaise lounge made its way into Britain and America during the 18th century. It became a fashion statement of the rich and famous and was a must-have item in wealthy homes. The popularity of the chaise lounge has snow-balled since this time and is seen in homes throughout the world. One widely agreed reason for this is due to the mass production of this product making it more affordable for the general public.
Since the 1990s there has been a few subtle changes to the chaise lounge and designers have created a more modern and contemporary design. It shares similar features of the other collective chaise styles but the piece has refined edges and distinguished angles, while maintaining the functionality of its origins. The ongoing development from designers tweaking the style of the chaise lounge has certainly helped the longevity of keeping it a desirable product.
The chaise lounge has evolved a great deal since its Egyptian origins, and has adapted to new generations throughout time. The piece is now widely considered to be French, and is certainly more popular than ever due to its recently affordable price tag.
Author: Cody Hensley