Much of the French style furniture on the market today dates from the mid-19th century or later. The Henri II style (1860-1900) was characterized by wide, flat pieces with heavy bases. The Louis XV style (1860-1910) had a lighter feel, with more curved lines and floral carvings. Louix XVI style (1875-1920) brought back the heavier bases with simpler shapes (both Louis styles were 'Revival,' or resurgances of earlier styles). French Art Nouveau (1895-1920) featured asymmetry and flowing natural shapes. And France's short Art Deco period returned to simpler designs, while experimenting with new woods, finishes, and inlaid materials.
Furniture is an incredibly broad and deep category, spanning all styles, eras and geographies. Here we present just the tip of the iceberg of 19th and 20th century furniture, from the Victorian-era to Eames-style modern pieces.
Chuck LaChiusa's wonderful guide to the architecture and history of Buffalo, NY, also happens to host an impressive… [more]
John Werry's in-depth blog on rare Victorian Furniture, with detailed, informative and often humorous posts on doze… [more]
This beautiful site showcases the collection of Stanley and Polly Stone of Fox Point, Wisconsin, consisting of earl… [more]
Steven Cabella's personal homage to Charles and Ray Eames. This site is as clean and visually appealing as the Eame… [more]
This huge online database from the Speed Art Museum is a rich trove of beautiful photos and reference information o… [more]
The Index of American Design project (1935-1942) was an effort to catalog American decorative arts objects from the… [more]
This microsite from the LA County Museum of Art provides a good overview of the Arts and Crafts movement in Europe … [more]
An overview by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts of the design movements between 1880 and 1940 that comprised Moder… [more]
This website showcases several hundred pieces of furniture, held by thirteen museums, that were designed for Herman… [more]
This Library of Congress microsite is an overview of the postwar modern design work of Charles (1907-78) and Ray (1… [more]
Scott Geyer's blog on the innovative Victorian furniture designs of George Jacob Hunzinger, who began manufacturing… [more]
Got a site to suggest? Let us know.