Antique Louis XIII furniture is not as lavish as that of his son Louis XIV, who transformed his father’s modest Versailles hunting lodge into a sumptuous palace. Yet the imposing forms of its chairs, dressers, tables and other pieces express grandeur and luxury.
When Henry IV was assassinated in the streets of Paris in 1610, his young son became the king of France. With Louis XIII too young to rule, the widowed Marie de' Medici — a native of Italy and member of the prominent House of Medici — became regent, instilling an Italian influence in the decorative arts. Even after Louis XIII exiled his mother and took power in 1617, this aesthetic informed his court style. As did the consolidation of power, established with his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, through his death in 1643.
From sturdy chests and tall cupboards to colossal four-poster beds, almost every piece of Louis XIII furniture was heavily carved or turned from dark-toned wood. Motifs of the period included scrollwork, foliage, fruits, grotesque masks and other images of abundance, often inlaid in marquetry of wood or tortoiseshell. Ornamental scenes, sometimes carved on cabinet panels and other pieces from rare ebony, oak or walnut, were borrowed from engravings by northern European masters like Peter Paul Rubens. Engravings also spread the Louis XIII style during the 17th century, particularly by printmaker Abraham Bosse, who depicted the popular Louis XIII chairs designed with upholstered seats and low, wide backs.
The lofty profiles of the French furniture complemented the architecture under the reign of Louis XIII, such as the Palais du Luxembourg by chief architect Salomon de Brosse and architect Jacques Lemercier’s chapel at the Sorbonne, which showcased the influence of Italian Baroque.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIII armchairs, storage cabinets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
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Pair 17th C. Candlesticks Candle Holder Light in Brass Antique Gift Object LA CA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Pair 17th C. Candlesticks Candle Holder Light in Brass Antique Gift Object LA CA . A very beautiful simple pair of 17th century Louis XIII Period candleholders Candlesticks in brass....
Brass
17th Century Pair of Candlesticks, Italy
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant pair of bronze candlesticks from the end of the 17th century from Italy Beautiful turning and fine quality little difference of the pikes (see pictures) Delivery in Belgiu...
Bronze
$2,050 / set
Pair of 19th Century, French Iron Candelabra
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Pair of 19th century, French iron candelabra.
Iron
Incised Pair of 17th Century Ottoman Bronze Candlesticks
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Beautiful and rare museum quality pair of incised of 17th Century Ottoman bronze candlesticks. They are virtually identical to the one pictured on...
Bronze
$432 / set
H 8.86 in W 4.73 in D 4.73 in
Pair of candlesticks or candle holders. Bronze. 18th century.
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of candlesticks. Bronze. France, 18th century. Pair of candlesticks made of bronze that have a polygonal base, stepped upwards and towards the center and enhanced with smooth m...
Bronze, Other
Pair of 19th Century French Gilt-Metal Candelabra
Located in San Marino, CA
A pair of 19th century gilt-metal five-light candelabra in the style of the Baroque. Each cast as a bouquet of lilies, the stems rising from an elaborate foliate-cast vase with scrol...
Metal
Pair of Antique Continental Porcelain and Bronze Candlesticks
Located in Tarzana, CA
Pair of antique continental porcelain and bronze candlesticks. circa 1890. Height 9" width: 9". Height measured without the lighting fixture.
Pair of French Ormolu Figural Candelabra, 19th Century
Located in Cypress, CA
Exquisite pair of French Louis XV style gilt bronze five-light figural candelabra, 19th century. Five foliage-inspired candleholders are conjoined by intricate gilt bronze scrollin...
Bronze
Pair of Late 19th Century French Brass Flower Candelabra
Located in Middleburg, VA
Pair of late 19th century French brass flower candelabra. Made of deeply patinated brass with intricately cast flower and leaf motifs. These a...
Brass
17th-18th Century Antique Italian Hand-Carved Giltwood Candlestick
Located in Lincoln, GB
Antique Italian Altar Hand-Carved Giltwood Candlestick This decorative Italian altar candlestick, dating from the late 17th to early 18th centur...
Giltwood
$4,500
H 49 in Dm 13.5 in
Pair 17th Century Large Italian Baroque Gilded Carved Candlesticks Torcheres
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Pair 17th Century Large Italian Baroque Gilded Carved Candlesticks Torchieres Magnificent carved and gilded floor Torchieres, early Baroque from Tuscany, Northern Italy. Each is exq...
Wood
Pair of 19th Century Bronze Candelabras
Located in Skanninge, SE
A pair of European Mid-19th Century bronze-gilt candelabras. For two candles each. Very nice original condition.
Bronze
Pair of Brass Candlesticks, circa 1900
Located in London, GB
A pair of brass candlesticks, circa 1900-1910. Measures: Height 31 cm. Diameter 13.5 cm.
Brass
17th Century French Bronze Candlestick
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Very sweet little French bronze candlestick dating from the 17th century. Measures: 15.5 cm high 8 x 8 cm base. Free shipping.
Bronze
Camino Candle Holder by Sebastián Angeles
Located in Geneve, CH
Camino candle holder by Sebastián Angeles Material: brass Dimensions: W 20 x D 20 x H 65 cm Also available: steel version available. The transcendence of decisionmaking and its...
Brass
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H 42.52 in Dm 12.6 in
Late 19th Century Floor Candlesticks - Louis XIII Style - Brass - 100 cm tall
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A beautiful set of large floor candlesticks. The candlesticks are over 1 meter tall. They may have come from a chapel or church, their provenance is unknown. The candlesticks are mad...
Brass
Pair of French Cast Bronze Louis XIII Period Candlesticks, 17th century
Located in Atlanta, GA
Robustly cast with stepped bases baluster form bodies and large bobeches, retaining original iron prickets
Bronze
Near Pair of Italian, Lombardia, Turned Walnut Ebonized Torcheres/Pedestals
Located in Atlanta, GA
Very similar in size and construction and likely made by the same craftsman and time in Northern region of Lombardy, Italy. the pedestal tops are round with molded edges and raised o...
Walnut
18th Century French Louis XIII Wrought Iron Three-Light Candelabra
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a mantel or a buffet with this elegant antique candelabra, crafted in southern France circa 1760, the forged piece stands on a three-leg pedestal and features three arms for...
Wrought Iron
17th Century Pair of Candlesticks, Italy in Bronze Stamped FS
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant pair of bronze candlesticks from the end of the 17th century from Italy stamped FS Beautiful turning and fine quality beautiful patina Delivery in Belgium, US and abroad...
Bronze
Candlestick in Sculpted Wood from the 19th Century Repainted in 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Candlestick in sculpted wood from the 19th century repainted in the 20th century.
Wood
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H 27.56 in Dm 7.09 in
Candle Stick in Sculpted Wood from the 19th Century Repainted in 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Candle stick in sculpted wood from the 19th century repainted in the 20th century.
Wood
Candle Stick in Sculpted Wood from the 19th Century Repainted in 20th Century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Candle stick in sculpted wood from the 19th century repainted in the 20th century.