Henry II Cabinet

Beautiful solid white oak armoire or 18th century is an excellent example of Spanish furniture during the 1700s. With a wonderfully wood piece that c...

Beautiful cathedral trunk with detailed design on the front resembling arches. Trunk originates from France.

SMALL RENAISSANCE CABINET ORIGIN: PROVENCE PERIOD: END OF THE 16th CENTURY Height: 175cm Length: 102cm Depth: 50cm Blond walnut This small cabin...

Former collection Altounian At the beginning of the reign of Henri II (1547-1559) the furniture’s ornamentation evolves. The few medieval motifs that were still used are eventually relinquished. Furniture becomes more sober showcasing moulded panels and perfect architecture. Cabinet-makers use ornaments such as curved fluted or plain columns, feather quills, roses or winged putti heads. High-relief carving becomes more scarce and compositions lighter. To that end cabinet-makers draw inspiration from Fontainebleau motifs filtering them and adapting them to French taste. During this period cabinet-makers turn into a kind of architects. Indeed the architectural balance of furniture is the centre of their concerns. The study of Antic formulas is then a necessity. From this care given to proportions appear refined cabinets with pure lines. This style is characteristic of the reign of Henri II and disappears soon after under the regency of Catherine de Medici (1560-1574) when an abundance of high and low-relief ornaments comes back on furnitures. This two-bodies cabinet...