Studio: international art (6.1896)

French Woodwork at South Kensington

ornament, and the unusual
number of legs, would cer-
tainly unfit it for domestic
purposes. It has considerable
merit, however; and if the
object of the designer was to
obtain strength regardless of
other considerations, he must
certainly be held to have suc-
ceeded. Strength, again, is
the most noticeable feature of
the oaken chair illustrated in
Fig. 4, though here it is
combined with a wonderful
economy of material, the
result being a quaint but
entirely serviceable produc-
tion which might furnish some
of our modern designers with
a valuable hint. But in our
opinion the masterpiece of the
collection from a practical
point of view, is the cabinet
shown in Fig. 2. The three
circular panels are decorated
with arabesques, incised and

fig. 6.—carved walnut table xvi century fiue(j with black varnish, giv-

ing them a pleasant quality

includes a few specimens of furniture. These are and interest; but with this exception the whole
not especially notable as mere achievements of piece is free from ornament of any kind, and
technical skill; but they have, for the most part, depends for its beauty on the perfection of its
qualities of a substantial value, and in any case proportions alone. It would be difficult to procure
are important additions to the already magnificent a better example of the art of "leaving out" ; and
collection in the museum. Fig. 6 is a table of the work is so eloquent in its simplicity that we
uncommon design, made possibly for ecclesiastical can confidently leave it to our readers without
use; inasmuch as the architectural style of the further attempt at description.

fig. 7.-front of a carved walnut coffer

28

first half of xvi century