French Furniture Styles MIDDLE-AGES X - XI - XII centuries : Roman period XIII - XIV - XV centuries : Gothic period

Cliquez sur le meuble souhaité Sièges Coffres Armoires - Dressoirs Objets décoratifs

Examples of medieval furniture are rare but we know the early style was rather rudimentary. Carved with an axe, the wooden boards were fixed together with crudely forged iron straps. During the last three centuries there was a spectacular development in the ornamental art. Flambloyant Gothic masterpieces where the carving was inspired by religious architecture enriched by decorations depicting flora and fauna replaced the rectilinear, symmetrical simplified motives. - Regions of production : Ile de France, Burgundy, and Val-de-Loire minly. - Furniture : chest of all sizes, chairs for the seigniorial and religious hierarchy. "Faudesteuils" - high-backed chairs, numerous benches, stools, chairs, sideboards, credences, dressers. - Materials, techniques : oak, walnut. From the XIV century, dovetail and mortice and tenon joints replaced the simple dry joints. - Types of decoration : only carving was used. First straight and symmetrical in linenfold pattern thenflowers and foliage on an ogival based structure were added. Curtains and tapestries served a dual purpose : to protect from the cold an as a colourful decoration.