THE general term cabinet-making is the art of making all such parts of the furniture of a dwelling-house as are made of wood, together with the art of chair-making, etc., and in order to arrive at any degree of perfection, the knowledge of designing, carving, modelling, etc., is requisite.

It has also been supposed that a knowledge of geometry, and particularly of that portion of it which treats of the description of curved lines, is of great use to the cabinet-maker; but, with the exception of a knowledge of perspective, and of a few simple methods of drawing common curves, geometry may be dispensed with, though it would be better to possess it.

The best advice we can give the cabinet-maker, in acquiring a graceful, easy, and free method of drawing, is, to draw as much from nature, or from good casts, as possible. It is not of material consequence whether vegetable or animal forms be drawn, but a mixture of both is desirable, as they have very distinct characters, which will be easily traced in attempting to delineate them.

General Remarks On Designs For Cabinet Work

In design, the central or principal part of the object requires most notice. The other parts should be so far subordinate to it as not to distract the attention from the centre; and yet they should be so united in harmony with it as to be obviously essential to complete the design.

The connection between the principal and the inferior portions of the designs should be preserved by the continuance of some of the leading lines of the principal part to the inferior ones; and, whether these lines be straight or curved, they should never be so far interrupted by ornament as to render it doubtful whether or not they are continued; and, as the idea of firmness or stability is a necessary accompaniment of good taste in the design of furniture, the leading lines of the principal part of the design should descend in such a manner to the base as to give an idea of firmness, as far as the nature of the thing requires it.

Proportion, as it depends on the relative magnitude of parts, is, sometimes, wholly left to the good taste of the designer; and, when cases occur where it is within his power, one part in a design must form the principal object, and ought not to have a rival in magnitude; also, when the piece of furniture is seen in its best position, this principal part should be as near the centre of the whole as possible.

The principal part of a design should be sufficiently prominent for the eye to pass from it to the whole, or the reverse, without perceiving the change of magnitude to be abrupt; and the same remark applies to the relation of the subordinate parts of the design to the principal one.

If this attention be given to the proportion of the parts so that the eye may pass from the consideration of one to another, and not feel the change abrupt, the design will be pleasing.

If too small a proportion be assigned to the principal part, the design will be flat and unmeaning. If the proportion be too large, the whole will be absorbed in the part, as a modern mansion is not unfrequently all portico. A due proportion of the principal part to the whole gives boldness and propriety.

Richness is produced by introducing as much ornament as the object will bear, without destroying the relation between the plain and ornamental parts; a design, overcharged with ornament, be-comes frittered, and wants both variety and repose.

The opposite quality to richness is meagreness, or a deficiency of ornament; and want of attention to its proportions. Between the extremes of overcharging and meagreness an immense variety of degrees of combination of ornamented with plain surfaces may be selected.

When the ornament consists of moulded work only, the piece of furniture is termed plain; but in rich furniture the combined effect of moulded and carved work is necessary. In either species, the proportions of the ornamental and plain parts to each other should be regulated by like principles as the magnitude of the parts.