Detail, Louis Majorelle Settee

 In 1900, the city of Nancy, France was one of the major centers of Art Nouveau design. The framework of Louis Majorelle's carefully carved settee highlights the curves and botanical themes that are hallmarks of this style. The marbled pattern of the jacquard upholstery echoes those curves. That settee actually looks pretty comfy to me. But no sitting allowed! It is truly a museum piece, a restrained and elegant example of a style that is often seen as too florid and overdone for real life.