Cabriole Leg

A cabriole leg is a type of vertical support commonly used in furniture. It is composed of two curves, with the upper arc being convex and the lower arc being concave. The upper curve bows outward, while the lower curve bows inward, and the axes of the two curves are in the same plane. This design has been used for centuries, with its origins in ancient China and Greece. In the early 18th century, it was incorporated into the more curvilinear styles of furniture produced in France, England, and Holland.

Walnut was the preferred wood for carving early 18th-century Queen Anne and George I chairs, being an essentially vertical straight leg, walnut was perfectly strong and would take carved details well. However, with the introduction of mahogany, chair makers were able to fully use the enhanced strength to create more elaborate and ambitious designs.

See Claw and Ball & Pad Foot