The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Gothic

We are now over a quarter of the way through our alphabetic tour of the decorative arts, focusing today on the Gothic.  The Gothic style in England became a pervasive trend  toward the end of the eighteenth century with a renewed interest in medieval motifs drawn from English churches and architecture.  Batty Langley's Ancient Architecture Restored …

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The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Fretwork

We are making good headway through the alphabet of decorative arts, focusing today on the letter F and the term fretwork.  Fretwork is an ornamental design that is carved in low relief on a solid background or cut out with a fretsaw.  The term fretwork derives from the French freter, meaning lattice. Fretwork appears on furniture, both …

The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Escutcheons

We are continuing our alphabetic tour of the decorative arts with an often overlooked element on almost every piece of Georgian case furniture: the escutcheon.  Simply put, the escutcheon is a metal plate that fits around a keyhole.  The term escutcheon comes from an old French word derived from the Latin word scutum, meaning a shield. …

The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Dovetailing

Back to the ABCs with our journey through the decorative arts, with today's topic focusing on dovetailing.  This technique is startlingly simple yet so fundamental to cabinetmaking that it can be found on almost every piece of case furniture in our gallery.     Dovetailing is a technique in joinery that secures two pieces of …

The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Chinoiserie

As we continue our journey through the ABCs of decorative arts, today we stop to focus on chinoiserie, one of the predominant decorative trends in England in the eighteenth century.  Chinoiserie includes both decorative pieces from China made for the English market as well as pieces made in England emulating Chinese taste and design. Chinese Export …

The ABCS of Decorative Arts: Bombé

As we continue our series through the ABC's of decorative arts, it is tempting to focus today's 'B' post on blue-john--but luckily we have already covered it in one of our first posts.  So instead, we are focusing our attention on bombé, which is a basic yet defining feature of decorative arts in the eighteenth century. …

The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Acanthus

When writing descriptions of antique furniture, we often describe in detail the decoration and ornamentation on the piece.  One of the features that appears again and again is the acanthus leaf.  But what actually is an acanthus, and why is it so popular? The acanthus ornament is a stylised version of a Mediterranean plant with jagged leaves …