Geometric Marble Sphere Obelisk
2010s Italian Louis XV Obelisks
Marble, Bronze
2010s Italian Louis XV Obelisks
Marble, Bronze
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Night Stands
Wood
Antique Mid-19th Century Neoclassical Obelisks
Marble, Bronze
20th Century American Obelisks
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Obelisks
Rock Crystal, Ormolu
20th Century Russian Neoclassical Natural Specimens
Malachite, Stone
Antique 19th Century English Louis XVI Obelisks
Stone, Bronze
Vintage 1970s Neoclassical Obelisks
Brass
Antique 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Obelisks
Marble
Antique 19th Century Italian Egyptian Revival Natural Specimens
Agate
Antique 1890s Italian Grand Tour Architectural Models
Porphyry, Bronze
Vintage 1980s Italian Other Sterling Silver
Marble, Sterling Silver
Antique 1870s Italian Obelisks
Belgian Black Marble, Griotte Marble
20th Century Italian Louis XVI Obelisks
Marble
Antique Late 19th Century French Obelisks
Granite, Bronze
2010s Italian Grand Tour Obelisks
Marble, Bronze
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Obelisks
Marble, Porphyry
A Close Look at louis-xv Furniture
The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.