We may speak of two great periods in the history of French Renaissance furniture art: the Francis I period and the Henry II period. The former (covering the first half of the 16th century) was characterised by the use of oak, while the latter (covering the second half of the 16th century) was characterised by the use of walnut. It was from seasoned walnut that our "dressoir" - in actual fact a chest placed on a high stand and supplied with two doors - was carved.

The French "dressoir", the present example included, was a piece of display furniture indicative or rank. The number of levels and shelves it boasted was invariably governed by the social position of its owner. The embellishment of reception rooms stemmed from the silverware, pewter vessels and glassware "exhibited" on it. The drawers concealed it its "string course" of our piece were used to store cutlery, and the two-door cupboard for table linen. Its main decorative elements are halved rosettes, fans and feather embellishments, but there is also ornamentation characteristic of French Mannerism, including a lion’s head and an angel’s head, each in a scroll.

<< previous