[Illustration:  Ornamental Panelling in St. Vincent’s Church, Rouen.  Period:  Early French Renaissance.  Temp.  Francois I.]

[Illustration:  Chimney Piece.  In the Gallery of Henri II., Chateau of Fontainebleau.  Period:  French Renaissance, Early XVI.  Century.]

The large high-backed chair of the sixteenth century “chaire a haut dossier," the arm chair “chaire a bras,” “chaire tournante,” for domestic use, are all of this time, and some illustrations will show the highly finished carved work of Renaissance style which prevailed.

Besides the “chaire” which was reserved for the “seigneur,” there were smaller and more convenient stools, the X form supports of which were also carved.

[Illustration:  Carved Oak Panel, Dated 1577.]

Cabinets were made with an upper and lower part; sometimes the latter was in the form of a stand with caryatides figures like the famous cabinet in the Chateau Fontainebleau, a vignette of which forms the initial letter of this chapter; or were enclosed by doors generally decorated with carving, the upper, part having richly carved panels, which when open disclosed drawers with fronts minutely carved.

M. Edmond Bonnaffe, in his work on the sixteenth century furniture of France, gives no less than 120 illustrations of “tables, coffres, armoires, dressoirs, sieges, et bancs, manufactured at Orleans, Anjou, Maine, Touraine, Le Berri, Lorraine, Burgundy, Lyons, Provence, Auvergne, Languedoc, and other towns and districts, besides the capital,” which excelled in the reputation of her “menuisiers,” and in the old documents certain articles of furniture are particularized as “fait a Paris.”

He also mentions that Francis I. preferred to employ native workmen, and that the Italians were retained only to furnish the designs and lead the new style; and in giving the names of the most noted French cabinet makers and carvers of this time, he adds that Jacques Lardant and Michel Bourdin received no less than 15,700 livres for a number of “buffets de salles,” “tables garnies de leurs treteaux,” “chandeliers de bois” and other articles.

[Illustration:  Facsimiles of Engravings on Wood, By J. Amman, in the 16th century, showing interiors of Workshops of the period.]

The bedstead, of which there is an illustration, is a good representation of French Renaissance.  It formed part of the contents of the Chateau of Pau, and belonged to Jeanne d’Albret, mother of Henri Quatre, who was born at Pau in 1553.  The bedstead is of oak, and by time has acquired a rich warm tint, the details of the carving remaining sharp and clear.  On the lower cornice moulding, the date 1562 is carved.

This, like other furniture and contents of Palaces in France, forms part of the State or National collection, of which there are excellent illustrations and descriptions in M. Williamson’s “Mobilier National,” a valuable contribution to the literature of this subject which should be consulted.