French furniture design has been wildly admired, emulated and collected throughout the world for centuries. Filled with 750 line drawings and brief descriptive definitions, French Furniture details the salient characteristics that define styles of French furniture from the 16th century, age of Louis XIII, to the end of the 20th century. Small differences in the shapes of the legs, arms or distinctive decorative carvings can make big differences in identifying the style of a piece of furniture. This reference work is suitable for carrying along on shopping or museum trips. It should also be useful for designers and for auction-goers or collectors of antiques.