| The influence of the French on
furniture design was extensive. King Louis XIV
was a man of extravagant tastes, reflecting his
strength, wealth, and power. His demand for a
unique French culture led him to urge his best
designers to create a distinctively French look.
He went so far as to buy a famous tapestry
factory, owned by the Gobelins, and set it up as
a cabinet-making workshop. While surfaces were
kept flat in the early period of the
Renaissance, King Louis XIV encouraged elaborate
carving and scrollwork, richly chased fruit and
floral motifs, swags and leafage. His designers
created a free, lavish interpretation of the
Renaissance’s classical lines and proportions.
Intricately carved from top to bottom in the
“Buhl” style developed in the late 1600’s by
artisan Andrea Boulle, virtually every popular
motif of Renaissance France is found on this
table. Nowhere else can such exquisite detail be
found on a table designed as a historic
showpiece and intended for practical use. |
| |
| Rails: Hand selected African
sedua, inlaid diamond-shaped, genuine
mother-of-pearl sights. |
| |
| Cabinet: Solid Alder. |
| |
| Slate: Matched, 1” thick,
diamond honed to precise dimensions for a
professional playing surface. Framed backed with
poplar hardwood for increased durability. |
