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Cabriole: Word of the Week

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Regence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergere or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

CABRIOLE

cab·ri·ole [kab-ree-ohl; French ka-bree-awl]
noun, plural cab·ri·oles [kab-ree-ohlz; French ka-bree-awl]
1. Furniture. a type of furniture leg, a curved, tapering leg curving outward at the top and inward farther down so as to end in a round pad, the semblance of an animal's paw, or some other feature: used especially in the first half of the 18th century.
2. Ballet. a leap in which one leg is raised in the air and the other is brought up to beat against it.
Also called cabriole leg.
Origin: 1775–85; < French: from cabrioler to caper, leap like a goat; so called because modeled on leg of a capering animal (see cabriolet)


Goat-like leaps: the cabriole leg takes its name from the capering motion of a goat. Illustration from Meyers’ Konversations Lexikon, 5th edition, 1897 (Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig, Germany).
 

Leaping Legs

Furniture legs come in all shapes, but none is more synonymous with French design than the iconic cabriole leg. Sinuous and double-curved, it traces a gentle “S” shape that’s as practical as it is beautiful. More difficult to craft than a straight leg, cabriole legs had to be carved from a solid piece of wood — a true sign of craftsmanship.

 

Though we now think of the cabriole leg as a hallmark of French Louis XV style, the form actually has much older roots, appearing in ancient Chinese and Greek furniture before being reimagined in Europe. It gained popularity in the late 17th century when English, Dutch, and French makers embraced more curvy, fluid silhouettes after the heavier medieval styles.

 


A Feat of Feet

Furniture historians often identify French antiques by studying the form and detail of the legs. Whether shapely or straight, legs provide important clues to the style and period of a piece,  Cabriole legs, in particular, usually terminate in elaborately carved feet that are as much a feat of craftsmanship as they are a flourish of style.

 

From scrolling pieds en escargot (whorl feet) to elegant pieds de biche (hoof feet), these details complete the cabriole’s graceful “S” curve. Sometimes rustic and provincial, as on farm tables and regional armoires, and other times refined and dressed up with gilt sabots on fanciful fauteuils, the feet are the finishing touch that make each piece unmistakably French — and fabulous!

 

By the 18th century, cabriole legs were everywhere — on chairs, tables, commodes, and even towering armoires. They may vary in scale, but they always add elegance. And there’s no mistaking the balance they provide: slim, curving legs strong enough to support even the heaviest case furniture without the need for stretchers. Practical and chic.

 

Fine Pair of 18th Century French Louis XV Period Carved Walnut Fauteuils / Item #LOP464 / Lolo French Antiques et More

En pointe: cabriole legs waltz the night away with gilt sabots and escargots.

Early 19th Century French Louis XV Style Walnut Commode Sauteuse / Item #LOP445 / Lolo French Antiques et More

18th Century French Louis XV Period Bressan Armoire / Item #LO90 / Lolo French Antiques et More
 

Still Swooning After All These Years

Cabriole legs may have leapt onto the scene centuries ago, but their appeal endures. Their graceful “S” curves add elegance, their balance supports even the heaviest commodes and armoires, and their French flair brings instant sophistication. They have a way of fitting in anywhere — from cozy kitchens to chic city salons.

 

It’s no wonder we still swoon. These curvy legs prove that timeless design not only stands the test of time… it does so en pointe. So tell us — do you like them all dressed up with ormolu and sabots? Or plain and simple with no decoration? We want to know!

 

Á Bientôt!

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Mimi Montgomery

When this self-described Francophile is not reading or writing about all things French, she's dreaming up charming new ways to showcase Lolo French Antiques et More or traveling to France with Lolo to buy delightful treasures for their store. Mimi, Lolo, and their French Bulldog, Duke, live in Birmingham, AL.

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