Painted furniture is one of the most desirabe fields of antique collecting. This work explores the history and current uses of one of the liveliest areas of the decorative arts. The Comtesse de Dampierre persues her subject through France, Italy, England, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the United States, including the American colonies where the Pennsylvania Dutch created some of the finest examples of the art. A glossary of terms and a chapter of tips on conservation and restoration makes this a useful handbook as well as an illustrated history of an enduring and ever-more-popular style.