cabriole leg

cabriole leg

      leg of a piece of furniture shaped in two curves—the upper one convex, the lower one concave. Its shape was based on the legs of certain four-footed animals. Known by the ancient Chinese and by the Greeks, it returned to fashion in Europe in the late 17th century, when it was incorporated into the more curvilinear styles introduced by the English, Dutch, and French.

      The early revived forms of the cabriole leg were joined by stretchers, but these were abandoned, as they interrupted the line of the leg and were not needed for strength. In the third quarter of the 18th century, its popularity gave way to the straight leg of the Neoclassical period.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Cabriole leg — A cabriole leg is one of (usually four) vertical supports of a piece of furniture shaped in two curves; the upper arc is convex, while lower is ; the upper curve always bows outward, while the lower curve bows inward. The axes of the two curves… …   Wikipedia

  • Cabriole leg — noun In furniture design, a curved leg with outcurved knee and incurved ankle. A signature design element of the Queen Anne style of furniture, the cabriole predates both 18th century England and Italy. The style originated …   Wiktionary

  • cabriole leg — noun a kind of curved leg characteristic of Chippendale and Queen Anne furniture. Origin C18: so named from the resemblance to the front leg of a leaping animal (see cabriole) …   English new terms dictionary

  • cabriole leg — cab′riole leg n. fur a curved, tapering furniture leg curving outward at the top and inward farther down, usu. terminating in an ornamental foot: used esp. in the 18th century • Etymology: 1885–95; so called because modeled on leg of a capering… …   From formal English to slang

  • cabriole leg — …   Useful english dictionary

  • cabriole — [kab′rē ōl΄] n. [Fr: see CABRIOLET] 1. a leg of a table, chair, etc. that curves outward and then tapers inward down to the foot, often clawlike and grasping a ball 2. Ballet a leap in which one leg is thrown upward and then both legs are beaten… …   English World dictionary

  • cabriole — /kab ree ohl /; Fr. /kann brddee awl /, n., pl. cabrioles / ohlz /; Fr. / awl /. 1. Furniture. 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… …   Universalium

  • cabriole — noun Etymology: French, caper Date: circa 1797 1. a ballet leap in which one leg is extended in midair and the other struck against it 2. a curved furniture leg ending in an ornamental foot …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • cabriole — noun A type of furniture leg used in certain ornate styles of furniture such as Queen Anne, having a double curve resembling the leg of an animal …   Wiktionary

  • cabriole — /ˈkæbrioʊl/ (say kabreeohl) noun 1. Furniture a leg, curved and tapering, often ending in the form of an animal s paw, used especially by Chippendale. 2. Ballet a leap in which one leg is raised in the air and the other is brought up to beat… …  

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