Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721) is famous for giving wood "the loose and airy lightness of flowers." His flamboyant cascades of lifelike blossoms, fruits, foliage, birds, and fish dominate English interiors of the late seventeenth century. They are among the glories of Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace, and St. Paul's Cathedral, as well as Badminton, Burghley, Petworth, and other great country houses.

After setting Gibbons in historical context, David Esterly's groundbreaking approach allows us to understand what until now has been shrouded in mystery: the process by which these exuberant carvings were created and how their forms reflect the organization of Gibbons' workshop.

Esterly, a professional woodcarver who has restored some of Gibbons' most important carvings, shares his unique knowledge of the layering process by which Gibbons built up such masterpieces as the Cosimo panel or the elaborate overmantels at Hampton Court Palace. Specially commissioned photographs show these carvings for the first time in a disassembled state, revealing how they were constructed.

Esterly also discusses Gibbons' formidable carving techniques, and his tools, workshop practice, materials, and finishing are described in detail. This generously illustrated volume will have a special appeal for carvers as well as for those interested in seventeenth-century interiors and the decorative arts.