For centuries, French furniture, textiles, ceramics and glassware set the highest standards of fine design in the decorative arts. Sevres porcelain, Gobelins tapestries and Baccarat crystal are synonymous with a taste for the good things of life, as are traditional printed cottons from Provence, silks from Lyons, glass by Galle and Daum and furniture and interior design by Guimard and Ruhlmann. The designs for these objects and settings, published in pattern books, swatch books and manufacturers’ and retailers’ catalogues, spread the influence of the French fascination with elegant living around the world.

For centuries, French furniture, textiles, ceramics and glassware set the highest standards of fine design in the decorative arts. Sevres porcelain, Gobelins tapestries and Baccarat crystal are synonymous with a taste for the good things of life, as are traditional printed cottons from Provence, silks from Lyons, glass by Galle and Daum and furniture and interior design by Guimard and Ruhlmann. The designs for these objects and settings, published in pattern books, swatch books and manufacturers’ and retailers’ catalogues, spread the influence of the French fascination with elegant living around the world.

Drawing upon an impressive array of original sources, this profusely illustrated resource offers a panoply of sketches, engravings and printed patterns, representing French interior design and decoration from the Baroque, Rococo, Louis Seize and Empire periods through the nineteenth century to Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Modernism. The wealth of artistry and technical ingenuity illustrated here dates back to 1685, when Andre-Charles Boulle’s furniture designs for the palace of Versailles were published as engravings; likewise, the designs of the Rococo masters were circulated throughout France, as were the designs of Napoleon’s architects. Later, the great international exhibitions held in Paris not only defined the styles of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and International Modernism, but also showcased the work of such giants of the decorative arts as Majorelle, Lalique and Ruhlmann.

This sumptuous volume is an invaluable treasury of new ideas and inspiration for designers, decorators, restorers and craftsmen today.