The cabriole leg is a designed component of 18th-century furniture that is fashioned into one upper outward convex curve and a lower concave inward curve. In a plain cabriole leg, the pad or club foot is slightly folded underneath. In a carved cabriole leg, the foot is often decorated with a lion’s claws or eagle’s talons that grasp a ball or orb. Engravings on the cabriole leg that look like leaves or wings are called cabochons, usually found at the knee of the leg.
Where did the Cabriole Leg Design Come From?
Though often associated with 18th-century English furniture, the cabriole leg was already in use in ancient Greece and China. The Chinese cabriole leg was most frequently featured in the lacquered table. In France, the cabriole leg was part of the Rococo style, emulating a graphic scroll design depicted in 1700 French art.
The use of the cabriole leg was heightened during the reign of Queen Anne in Great Britain. The Queen Anne Style of furniture propagated from 1712 until 1760. The Queen Anne cabriole leg chair often had a bun or pad foot, a hoop-decorated back, and a splat in the style of a vase. The cabriole leg was carried on to Chippendale furniture in 1750 in a more delicate form than the Queen Anne Style.
Mid-18th century cabriole leg design in America fused influences from Queen Anne, George I, and George II furniture. The main feature of the American cabriole leg is its padded foot.
How is the Cabriole Leg Made?
Creating a template on cardboard or hardboard and drawing it out is the first step in making a cabriole leg. The “S” shape of the cabriole leg is more pronounced or “bowed,” making it weaker structurally. The cabriole leg must be made of solid wood instead of laminate. Sometimes a lathe is used for some of the initial rough turning, but eventually, a bandsaw is needed because of the intricate arc formations in the design. The spokeshave, rasp, and scraper applications come next. The cabriole leg’s foot may end in a bun, ball, or “ball and claw” variation. The tiny brackets are made out of another piece of wood and attached with screws or dowels.
What are Famous Furniture with Cabriole Leg?
The Classic cabriole leg design can be found in significant historical antique furniture collections. Henry Cavendish was known to have a collection of cabriole leg chairs and sofas.
Another famous cabriole leg furniture is the cherry candlestand from Gloucester that the Essex Institute claims were made between 1725 and 1750. This furniture is notable for the early design of dovetailed connection of the legs as opposed to the dowelled connection of succeeding periods.
