Definition: "Fauteuil" means "armchair" in French. In antique furniture, it specifically means an upholstered armchair with open sides; developed in the late 1600s in France, towards the end of Louis XIV's reign, the style flourished in the 18th century, becoming lighter and more graceful in appearance, but also more ornate - the chair arms were often upholstered to match the back and seat; one variation, the fauteuil à la reine (Queen's armchair), has a square, high back.
Pronunciation: foe-toy
Example: The cabriole legs and delicate floral carving on the arms of the fauteuils suggested the chairs dated from the 1730s, at the height of the Rococo period.
