FRENCH and ITALIAN TERMS IN Bibliothèque: From the French word for library, Cabriole: legs which curve
briole: legs which curve out from the seat
INTERIOR DESIGN
Acanthus: A leaf used in Classical ornament,
particularly on Corinthian capitals (the tops of
Corinthian columns); frequently found on
furniture as carved decoration or cast bronze
ornament, particularly from the French, Louis
XVI period.
Andirons: A pair of iron bars, usually
decorated at the front end by a vertical
member, placed at each side of the hearth
and upon which the burning logs were
supported. Sometimes referred to as "fire-
dogs."
Arbalette: A serpentine form characteristic of
the finest Louis XV commodes, buffets, and
consoles
Armoire: wardrobe; a clothes cupboard
Art Nouveau: A period and/or style of
decoration which first appeared in England in
the 1880’s and spread throughout Europe,
particularly Belgium, France and Germany, in
the early 1890s. It survived for 20 years,
reflecting a return to nature and to the values
of good workmanship. The characteristics of
Art Nouveau were drawn from nature and
featured plants and flowers in sinuous curves
and convolutions.
Baroque: An elaborately ornamented style
which was popular in Europe from
approximately 1600 to 1750. In furniture, the
Baroque style favored flamboyant carving,
painting, and gilding. Typical motifs included
acanthus, shells, and elaborate scrolls.
Bas-relief: decoration which is slightly raised
from the surface or background.
Beauvais: originally a tapestry factory. During
the reign of Louis XVI they produced seat
covers & carpets.
Bergère: upholstered armchair with wood
frame and closed arms.
Dos d'ane: A drop-leaf desk.
a bibliotheque is a piece of furniture with
glass-fronted doors and several shallow
shelves designed to hold books.
Biedermeier: Style of furniture and decoration
current in Austria, Germany, Sweden and
Russia between 1815 and 1848, featuring
clean, simple lines and detailed veneer work
with little ornamentation.
Boiserie: elaborately carved wood paneling.
Bombe: commode with a bulging front.
Bouillotte: small lamp with narrow shade,
arrow detail above the shade and tray base.
Bronze d'ore: Gilded metal, especially cast
brass or bronze gilded over fire with an
amalgam of gold and mercury, used for
furniture mounts and ornamental objects.
Buffet á glissant: A buffet which has a smaller,
recessed compartmented, known as the
tabernacle. The defining feature of a buffet á
glissant is that the tabernacle has doors that
slide out to open, and in to shut.
Buffet de chasse: A buffet table with a
marble top which was typically used to
prepare game. The term literally means
“hunting table.”
Buffet deux corps : A two-tiered buffet with
the top cabinet being shallowing than the
bottom cabinet. The doors on the top panel
can have wood or glass panels.
Bureau plat: A flat writing table or desk,
usually having several drawers.
Burl: Wood from an abnormal or diseased
portion of a tree root or trunk (often caused
by injury to the bark). Burl wood is highly
prized for furniture design because the grain
exhibits spectacular mottled or speckled
patterns that are used to create the beautiful
veneers found in formal and provincial
furniture. Although rare, burls are most often
found in walnut and elm.
& inward toward the foot in an S shape.
Canapé: sofa.
Candelabrum: A branched candlestick
usually cast in bronze, white metal or silver.
Cartouche: Roman inspired decoration used
in Renaissance, Baroque & Rococo.
Cassone: An Italian bridal dowry chest often
decorated with carved, gilt, inlaid, or painted
decoration
Chaise-longue: a reclining chair with a seat
that extends for leg support.
Chinoiserie: lacquer furniture with oriental
designs. Louis XIV favored black lacquer and
established a workshop at his Gobelins
factory. Vernis martin (1730) gave a brilliant
surface. Most common now is black lacquer
with a raised gilded decoration.
Coiffeuse: A small table topped with a mirror
intended as a make-up and hairdressing
table; A dressing table. (c.f., poudreuse)
Commode: A low chest of drawers, usually
with short legs, intended to be set against a
wall.
Console: A table that stands against the wall
and is usually supported by two, bracket-
shaped legs.
Coquille: Seashell or scallop shaped.
Corbeille a fleurs: Literally "flower basket."
Characteristic of Louis XV style decoration.
Credence: small table or sideboard.
Credenzia: A side table or buffet with a flat
surface for serving and cabinet space for
storage. Italian credenzias often had drawers
surmounting the lower cabinet doors.
Demi-lune: type of crescent-shaped table,
commonly placed against the wall.
Sometimes referred to as “half moon.”
Duchesse brisée: A chaise longue in two parts
in which the portion for supporting the legs is
longer than the seat element.
Èbénistes: makers of veneered case furniture.
Eglomisé: glass panel painted gold, white or
blue on reverse used in doors.
Enfilade: A piece of furniture, usually a buffet,
in which the cabinet doors reveal connected
compartments in a row. From the French
“enfiler” meaning “to thread.” (This is a total
guess on my part based upon the definitions I
did find and the example pieces you have
posted.)
Escritoire: writing desk.
Escutcheon: An ornament plate that
surrounds a keyhole
Espagnolette: bronze mount in female bust
design (Régence & Louis XV).
Estampille: Stamp of cabinet maker.
Étagère: freestanding shelf unit open on all
sides used for display.
Faience: A French term for glazed
earthenware such as Quimper.
Fauteuil: armchair with open arms.
Fausse paire: A pair of chairs, identical in
form, that were crafted in different periods;
typically, one of the chairs was constructed in
the 18th century while the other was added
in the 19th century to complete the pair.
Fauteuil de bureau: A desk chair.
Faux finish: finish made to look like another,
e.g., marble or wood.
Gesso: A composition, often made with chalk
and parchment size that is commonly
applied to furniture, picture frames and
mirrors as foundation upon which gilding or
silvering was applied.
Gilded: Covered in gold leaf. (c.f. gilt, gilding)
Gilding: The decoration of surfaces with gold
leaf. (c.f. gilded, gilt)
Gilt-bronze: bronze which has been gilded.
Gilt wood: gold finished wood.
Girandole: An ornate and ornamental
candlestick holder, often backed with a
mirror.
Gueridon: A small, round table made to
support a candlestick or candelabrum;
candle stand with tripod base.
Gobelins: Louis XIV's furniture & tapestry
workshops. Production was for the king.
Inlay: contrasting wood, stone, metal, shell or
ivory set into another material for a
decorative effect.
Jardinière: plant container.
Lambrequin: deeply scalloped drapery or
that effect carved into furniture.
Les os de mouton: Literally "Sheep's horn," this
term refers to sinuous stretchers that are the
quintessential element of Louis XIV furniture.
Lit de repos: A day-bed.
Lit canapé: sofa bed.
Lyon silk: silk woven at Lyon (finest silks of the
18th c).
Magot: grotesque oriental figure on
porcelain.
Marquetry: inlay design glued into furniture or
floors using a variety of woods (Boulle
marquetry uses tortoiseshell & metal).
Marquise: A broad chair built to
accommodate the wide skirts and panniers
of the Louis XV pariod.
Mascaron: head of animal, man or woman
placed on the corner of apron.
Ormolu: embellishment for furniture made
from a copper & zinc alloy which looks like
gold.
Parcel gilded: Selective gilding on only
portions or specific decorative elements
Pastiglia: Gesso (plaster) that was dripped on
furniture in layers and then carved and
gilded in bas-relief in the Italian Renaissance
period.
Pied de biche: Deer feet, typically found at
the base of cabriole legs in Regence and
Louis XV furniture. (c.f. pied de sabots)
Pied de sabots: Hoof feet, typically found at
the base of cabriole legs in Regence and
Louis XV furniture. (c.f. pied de biche)
Period style: Entire room design referencing
one historical time and place.
Poudreuse: small dressing table.
Ratchet: a sofa with movable arms that can
be dropped down for sleeping.
Repoussé: raised design on metal made by
hammering the back side.
Sabot: metal fitting to protect leg bottom.
Savonnerie: carpets produced in workshops
established by Henry IV. Early designs were
flowers on a dark ground. Louis XIV
introduced designs by Le Brun. Also screens
and covers for chairs and benches.
Sconce: light which is fixed on the wall.
Secrétaire à Abattant: A drop front desk,
usually with drawers or cupboard doors
underneath.
Semainier: tall chest for the bedroom with 7
drawers.
Serpentine: Furniture form characterized by a Vermeil: gilded metal.
undulating, central, convex (protruding)
surface with concave ends. Vernis Martin: French lacquer from the 18th c
perfected by the Martin brothers. They were
Sèvres: porcelain made at the Sèvres factory given a Privilège by Louis XV.
starting in 1756 when it was moved from
Vincennes. It was sold to Louis XV in 1759 and X-frame stools: has legs in an X shape.
remains state property.
hagreen: skin of dogfish, pale green, blue or
yellow, used to cover furniture.
Singerie: design with a monkey motif.
Tabouret: foot stool.
Toile: Toiles de Jouy is now a generic term for
fabric with monochromatic prints of pastoral
and allegorical scenes.
Tole: lacquered tin.
Torchère: a tall lamp which casts light toward
the ceiling used especially with art deco
style.
Tric trac: French name for the game of
backgammon.
Trumeau: French term for pier-glass. In the
Louis XV period it was traditionally decorated
with a painted canvas that was set in the
frame above the mirror.
Trompe l'oeil: "to fool the eye," a 2
dimensional painting of real objects having a
3 dimensional effect.
Trumeau: decorative treatment used over
mirrors, windows, doors or mantels. Used
often in Louis XV & Louis XVI periods.
Veneer: Decorative effect accomplished by
the application of thin layers of ornamental
(and often exotic) woods to an underlying,
structurally supporting surface.
Verde gris: A shade of grayish green with teal
and green highlights.
Vitrine: French term for display or china
cabinet.