The style known as «Biedermeier» developed in Germany and Austria after 1815 and came to an end around 1848. After the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars and the subsequent restoration of order in Europe at the Congress
of Vienna (1814/1815), the bourgeoisie of those two countries concentrated exclusively on domestic matters, lavishing a good deal of care and love on the decoration and furnishing of their homes. Stylistically, Biedermeier furniture is a variation on Empire furniture that has been reduced to essentials (see the Empire Room). Literary and musical circles were cultivated as were handicrafts, letter writing, drawing and reading out loud. The interiors of houses, which were in keeping with such activities, radiate a decorative, simple serenity, as can be seen here.