Edith Mannoni - Mobilier régional - Sud-Ouest

Sud-Ouest. Mobilier régional.
Gascogne - Haut-Languedoc - Guyenne.
Paris: Éditions Massin. ISBN 978-2-7072-0306-9.

This book is dedicated to the furniture of south-western France and paints a multi-layered picture of a region whose furniture art is characterised by the diversity of its landscape and cultural independence. At the centre of the book is a comparatively simple-looking, yet richly differentiated piece of furniture that is closely linked to the regional way of life. Characteristic decorations such as dove motifs, floral ornaments and heraldic elements - such as the Maltese cross - reflect both rural traditions and representative demands.

The depiction emphasises the different regional characteristics: Gascony and Béarn show an early stylistic independence with references to the Louis XIII style, while the Basque Country favours idiosyncratic decorative solutions. The Guyenne, on the other hand, particularly in the Bordeaux region, produced high-quality furniture made of solid mahogany, influenced by the international trade. In Haut-Languedoc, clear, linear shapes are combined with softer, Mediterranean-inspired elements. The overall picture that emerges is of a furniture culture that mediates between rustic down-to-earthness and artisanal sophistication, while always retaining a regional identity.

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