Illustrated History of Furniture, fifth ed. / From the Earliest to the Present Time

An illustrated survey traces the development of decorative furniture and interior woodwork from ancient civilizations through medieval and Renaissance periods to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century national styles. Chronologically arranged chapters describe Assyrian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman examples; Byzantine, Anglo-Saxon and Gothic woodwork; Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch and German Renaissance practice; and later English and French cabinetmaking up to Chippendale and luxury French meubles. Technical notes explain materials and techniques such as gilding, inlay and metal mounting, while descriptions of interiors and museum specimens relate stylistic change to architecture, social customs and collecting.