Ornamental woodwork, especially wooden wall paneling or carved wood decoration found in formal interior rooms, particularly in French architectural style.
From French 'boiserie' (from 'bois' meaning wood, derived from Latin 'boscius'), referring to decorative wood installation. The term entered English from French architectural terminology in the 18th-19th centuries.
Boiserie represents one of the most labor-intensive decorative arts—craftsmen hand-carved intricate designs into wood panels that would cover entire walls, and a single room's boiserie could take months of skilled work, making it a symbol of wealth and refinement.
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