The Historicism movement in art (1830-1920) was perhaps the most democratic of all. European furniture makers sought to recapture the magic and affluence displayed in early, highly stylised and aristocratic pieces of the Gothic, Rococo, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classicism periods -- but at a fraction of the cost. These artists brought a great deal to their reproductions, applying a contemporary practicality that resulted in pieces of crafty pomp, opulence, and exaggerated beauty that were priced to reach the growing bourgeoisie. Historicism furniture pieces are not only art history documents...