Mjh Design Arts Directoire

Formed in the wake of the Jacobin Reign of Terror’s bloody guillotine, the Directoire was established to lead France into order through the leadership of a five-member council of directors. It was brief, lasting only from 1795 to 1799, ending with Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup d’état, and was economically tumultuous. Yet it was an essential bridge between the era of Louis XVI and the elaborate Empire style that followed, with Directoire furniture and decorative arts shaped by a royal passion for classical design and an enthusiasm for postrevolutionary France.

Much of the country’s furniture production had halted during the French Revolution when the furniture guilds system was abolished, but during the Directoire period, the cabinetmakers restarted their businesses, such as François-Honoré-Georges and Jacob-Desmalter who established a new workshop called Jacob-Frères. Pieces made in walnut, elm, mahogany and other inexpensive materials incorporated influences ranging from Egypt to Pompeii, with popular forms including the curule armchair based on an ancient Roman design. The aesthetics of the transitional style were more austere than during the monarchy, with court cabinetmaker Jean-Baptiste Sené, for instance, reimagining his workshop’s neoclassical-style furniture with ungilded surfaces and a reduction of ornamentation.

Symbols referencing the revolutionary tenets of liberty, equality and fraternity were frequently carved into Directoire furnishings, such as the Phrygian cap, clasped hands and the fasces, which is an image of a bound bundle of sticks adopted from the Roman Republic, where it was seen as an emblem of strength through unity.

Elements of the French Directoire style continued through Empire style. Designers Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine are credited today as major proponents of both movements. The classically inspired furniture design is represented in pieces such as the boat-shaped daybed and the klismos chair, which endured in French interiors as well as in styles abroad, including American Directoire.

Find a collection of antique ​​Directoire chairs, tables, daybeds, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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.