Louis XV Loveseats
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.
Early 20th Century Swiss Louis XV Loveseats
Silver Leaf
20th Century Louis XV Loveseats
Fabric, Wood
1880s French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Giltwood
Late 20th Century Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Giltwood
1990s American Louis XV Loveseats
Wood, Upholstery
1890s French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Louis XV Loveseats
Metal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Giltwood
19th Century American Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Metal
Early 20th Century American Louis XV Loveseats
Metal
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Mohair, Walnut
19th Century European Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Walnut
1970s North American Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Loveseats
Fabric, Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Loveseats
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Loveseats
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Louis XV Loveseats
Mahogany
1930s European Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Walnut
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Cane, Walnut
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Fabric
18th Century and Earlier Portuguese Antique Louis XV Loveseats
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Cane, Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Mohair, Silk, Giltwood, Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Giltwood
1940s Danish Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Wool, Beech
20th Century French Louis XV Loveseats
Leather, Fabric
1940s Swedish Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Mohair, Beech
19th Century Swedish Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Down, Wood
1960s Swedish Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Steel
19th Century American Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Louis XV Loveseats
Wood
1940s Danish Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Wool, Beech
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Loveseats
1960s Danish Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Leather, Teak
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Cane, Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Wood
1980s Italian Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Brass
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Loveseats
Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Metal, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Loveseats
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XV Loveseats
Velvet, Wood
1940s French Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Walnut
1950s American Vintage Louis XV Loveseats
Walnut
Late 19th Century European Antique Louis XV Loveseats
Fabric, Beech