Louis XVI Animal Skin Bergere Chairs

Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.

Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.

Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.

The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.

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Vintage, new and antique bergère chairs add a touch of history to any leisure space. This beautifully upholstered seating furniture spans centuries of style, design and fashion.

A bergère armchair exudes comfort. The best-known versions have cushioned armrests and an upholstered back (or, at the very least, a cushion for the backrest). The seat is usually home to a sumptuous loose cushion, and the exposed wooden frame, molded or decoratively carved, is quite wide and sits low to the ground. In your living room, alongside your mahogany side tables and plush sofa, this chair will embody class, exceptional design and precise craftsmanship.

Bergère armchairs are among the chairs you should know. They originated in France and date back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. There are at least three types of bergère chairs: bergère à la reine, which features high armrests, a straight back and sides that slope down to the arms; a shorter bergère cabriolet; and the bergère marquise, which is usually smaller with a low and curved back.

Louis XV bergère chairs were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period, while versions that were made during the Louis XVI period — which is characterized by furniture designed in reaction to the florid stylings of the previous era — see the particular style of chair developed further, with the area between the elbow rests and the seat being upholstered with fabric. Over time, the bergère chair took on dramatically different forms, while maintaining the same basic features. Mid-century modern bergère chairs have a sleeker design with simple yet elegant features. Whatever your overall chosen furniture style, a bergère chair introduces a comfortable yet commanding presence to any space.

Explore the extensive collection of antique, new and vintage bergère chairs on 1stDibs.