This will explain how it was that domestic art in Gaul, instead of spreading rapidly, was merely gradually transformed into the heavy, massive style that very distinctly dominates the architectural traditions of the Latin races, and is known in art history as the Romanesque - a title which enshrines the old familiar name of "Roman."

To understand the subject now under notice it is necessary briefly to consider the tendencies of the earliest Frankish kings, amongst whom the exclusive love of shining metal completely dominated their interest in art. To own silver dishes and golden cups easily carried about in the vicissitudes of war, represented to them the very height of luxury and good fortune. Thierry gave Clotaire a silver dish to make amends for an attempt at assassination; and a valuable vase, now at Soissons, was the cause of the famous quarrel between Clovis and his warriors. By slow degrees all aesthetic refinement became concentrated in the abbeys, where certain intellectual traditions were preserved, although a certain St. Ouen in his history takes Tullius Cicero for two distinct personages, and the biographer of St. Bavon commits himself to the assertion that the Latin language predominated in Athens during the ascendancy of Pisistratus. Some few religious houses became positive art manufactories, under the liberal patronage of the kings and of private citizens of wealth, jewellery, ofcourse, being the chief product.

When Clo-taire wished to have a throne made that should be worthy of his important position, he chose a humble artisan from Limoges to do the work - an artisan who later became celebrated, and is still dear to the memory of the French under the name of St. Eloi. A man of great gifts and of the highest integrity, St. Eloi retained the favour of two kings, and to him is due the credit of raising the making of jewellery in France to the importance of a fine art, whilst he at the same time kept up the intimate connection between work and religion. He converted a property given to him by Dagobert, the successor of Clotaire, into a great atelier for the working of precious metals. He founded at Paris the convent of St. Aure, in which the nuns devoted themselves to embroidering in gold; and round about his church of St. Paul des Champs in a quarter long known as the "Culture Saint Eloi" were grouped the workshops of the chasers and beaters of metal. Tradition attributes to him a gilded bronze arm-chair, preserved in the Bibliotheque Nationale of Paris, which served as the throne of Dagobert. As a matter of fact, however, it cannot be more than a copy made of the golden throne not long after its completion, and used by that ostentatious and cultivated monarch when he presided over the meetings of his leudes - as his faithful advisers were called.

Such as it is, however, it remains an interesting example of the barbaric modification of the Latin style, for whilst its general form is that of an antique curule chair such as was used by the chief magistrate of Rome, its feet, ornamented with the claws and heads of lions, have really in their rugged strength something novel about them.

A century later, under Charlemagne, we note a final development of luxury according to the traditions of the ancient Romans. The architects and decorative artists of Aix-la-Chapelle - a town rich in palaces, churches, and baths, the favourite residence of the all-powerful emperor - all came from Italy. Lavish display was the rule at table, as was the fashion in ancient times; the Emperor, wisely economical in his personal expenses, was prodigal when it was a question of enhancing the glory of the monarchy; and on one occasion, probably at Aix, he caused three wonderful tables to be made, one of gold, on which was represented the earth as then known, with the fixed stars and planets; whilst on the others, both of solid silver, were seen the plans of Rome and of Constantinople.

Unfortunately, no relics now remain of these pieces of furniture of fabulous beauty; they have in the course of centuries disappeared as completely as the humblest utensils in use amongst the peasantry. Indeed, there are no archaeological survivals in France of earlier date than the thirteenth century on which to found a history of early furniture, except the arm-chair of Dagobert of doubtful authenticity, and a little stool, very crudely carved, preserved in the treasury of the Cathedral of Poitiers, under the name of the Pulpit of St. Radegund, which points to the sixth century as the time of its production. Scholars who have endeavoured to work out some theory on the subject of French furniture of the first half of the Middle Ages have been obliged to have recourse to a comparison with the relics preserved in Italy, and with those in Scandinavia. Their learned but debatable theories cannot, however, be discussed here, for to admit them would be beyond the scope of a work that is to deal with facts only.

The most ancient existing piece of furniture in France is of a kind that only came into domestic use some eight centuries ago: a wooden armoire, or wardrobe, that belonged to the Church of Obazine, in the Department of Correze. Nothing could be more simple or massive than its square structure, decorated merely with a few simple semicircular arches in the Roman style, upheld by slender little pillars, the two leaves of the folding-doors of oak, each held in place by clamps of iron, known as hinges, and closed with straight bolts running in a groove, also of iron. This humble, half-destroyed piece of furniture is of infinite value, on account of the information it gives on the subject of the art of the carpenter up to the time of its production. To begin with, it proves that style in furniture followed exactly the gradual transformation of Latin architecture; moreover, it shows that sculpture was not employed for the decoration of domestic articles. This fact leads, further, to the suggestion that furniture was painted, confirmed by relics of very little later date than the armoire of Obazine, such as that of the Cathedral of Noyon, the folding-doors of which still retain a canvas glued on, on which can be made out the painted figures of angels and traces of foliage.