Also available as
56k GIF or
619k JPEG images.
The most handsome piece of woodworking I have come across was this breakfront in the Art Nouveau style designed by Louis Majorelle. Top-of-the-line Majorelle pieces tended to have a lot of ormolu and were too ornate for my taste. This piece must have been from his second or third tier lines. The economic constraints of this production furniture led to an economy of style that improved the piece. The fluid lines of Art Nouveau remain, but without the excesses that so quickly dated most Art Nouveau works.