Furniture

From sculptures, wall-paintings, and articles found in the tombs we learn that the Egyptians brought the art of cabinet-making to great perfection; the A yrians and Greeks also produced furniture in wood, ivory, and precious metals, elaborately laborately carved. Before the Crusades domestic furniture scarcely existed in w. Europe, and was meager till ab. 1500 even in baronial castles. The Renai ance artists in making furniture used wood decorated with gilding and paintings, inlaid with agate, carnelian, lapis lazuli, variously-tinted marble, ivory, tortoise-shell, and mother-of-pearl. It was also richly decorated with sculpture. Italy was foremost, but French schools soon became prominent. Early in the 17th century marquetry became a leading feature in decorative furniture, and the architectural idea finally died out. Then came BOULE (q.v.) under Louis XIV., and, though Tudor oak lingered in IMG:content-0197.jpg:[ocr errors] Ebony, tulip, maple, laburnum, and purple wood were most fashionable. In England, ebony, satin wood. and mahogany succe ively came into favor, and Adam, Hep pel white, and She rat on were the most famous cabinet-makers. Since the decay of the Cla ical revival Oriental influence has chiefly affected modern furniture and machinery has supplanted trained artists.