Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
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.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
1870s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Ormolu
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Softwood
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Mahogany
1780s German Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Ceramic
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1780s Baltic Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
1850s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 1900s Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
1840s Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
Late 18th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 20th Century Chinese Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain, Wood
19th Century English Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Brass, Ormolu
16th Century Cambodian Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Chinese Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Rattan, Wood
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
Late 18th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Stone
1950s Thai Vintage Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Wood, Porcelain
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1920s French Vintage Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Cane, Wood
Early 1800s Chinese Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
1920s French Vintage Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
1920s French Vintage Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Cane, Wood
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Asian Art and Furniture
Marble, Brass