As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.
When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.
Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.
The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.
$12,000Sale Price|47% Off
Large Scale Period Louis XIV Boulle Cartel Clock with Matching Plinth/Bracket
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
Grand scale boulle Cartel clock and matching plinth, the ebonized wood case is embellished all-over with gilded bronze mounts (re-gilt). The medall...
Brass, Bronze
Antique French Cartel Clock of Venus with Cherubs
By Jacques Caffieri
Located in London, GB
Antique French cartel clock of Venus with cherubs French, Late 19th Century Height 120cm, width 55cm, depth 20cm This remarkable cartel clock is inspired by an 18th-century desi...
Enamel, Ormolu
19th Century French Wall Clock In Lapis Lazuli By Paul Sormani
By Paul Sormani
Located in Southall, GB
Elegant wall clock by Paul Sormani, in blue lapis lazuli and gilt bronze ormolu. Paul Sormani was a famed French 19th century cabinetmaker, renown for his production of magnificent...
Lapis Lazuli
19th Century French Louis XVI Carved Oak Wall Clock ~ Cartel
Located in Dallas, TX
19th Century French Louis XVI Wall Clock ~ Cartel was sculpted from solid old-growth quarter-sawn oak to create a work of art for your wall that was also originally designed to provi...
Brass
17th Century Time Clock Cartel Louis XIV André Boulle Marquetry
By Gilles Martinot
Located in Marseille, FR
Pendulum cartel Louis XIV Boulle marquetry seventeenth and bronze Ormolu with its matching pedestal. baby decor mower by Martinot watchmaker in Paris. Good ...
Marine turtle
French 19th Century Louis XIV Style Ormolu Cartel Clock
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most impressive and high quality French 19th century Louis XIV st. ormolu cartel clock. The clock is raised on its original wall mounting stand with a lovely foliate bottom finial ...
Ormolu
Huge Antique French Clock, Cherubs Carrying Time by Carrier
By Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse
Located in Belper, Derbyshire
A huge and superb bronzed metal clock by the celebrated sculptor Albert Ernst Carrier-Belleuse (1824-1887). Two beautifully depicted cherubs hold the clock aloft, mounted in a bronze...
Marble, Metal
19th-Century Pendulum Wall Clock
Located in Opole, PL
We present you this chain pendulum clock with a gravity winding mechanism with a single weight. The case bears normal traces of long years of use. It is intended to be renovated. ...
Brass
$38,950Sale Price / set|48% Off
H 34 in W 22 in D 13.5 in
French 19th Century Louis XIV Style Figural Ormolu Clock Garniture, Raingo Frers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A very fine and palatial French 19th century Louis XIV style figural ormolu three-piece clock and candelabra garniture suite, comprising of a gilt-bronze clock and a pair of ten-ligh...
Bronze
$4,210
H 26.5 in W 11.7 in D 4.5 in
Rare Antique Gothic Revival Gilt Bronze Wall Cartel Clock with Griffin Sculpture
Located in Lisse, NL
Stunning and perfect running Gothic architectural design bronze wall clock, from circa 1880. If you like rare antiques in general and one of a kind clocks in particular then this handcrafted specimen for wall mounting could be the perfect addition to your collection or Gothic (inspired) interior. This fine quality antique...
Brass, Bronze
$11,500
H 28 in W 16 in D 4 in
Allegorical Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze Cartel Clock Depicting "Night and Day"
By Jacques Caffieri
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
The clock features a cartouche shaped case housing an hour and half-hour striking movement with a round white enamel dial, indicating the Roman numeral hours and the Arabic five-minute intervals by means of two pierced patinated bronze hands...
Bronze
19th Century French Cathedral Clock
Located in High Point, NC
19th century beautifully hand crafter cathedral clock in gilt bronze. This is a magnificent example of 19th century French craftsmanship. There are many beautiful details to this p...
Bronze
French 19th Century Mantle Clock
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality French late 19th century gilded ormolu and champleve enamel mantel (fireplace) clock. Having urns and a cherub above the eight day clock that chimes...
Enamel, Ormolu
19th Century French mantel clock
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th Century French gilded ormolu and patinated bronze mantel clock, having a seated cherub holding the rains of a winged dragon pulling a scrolling foliate ...
Ormolu
Gilt Swedish Cartel Wall Clock
Located in Washington, DC
A gilt Swedish cartel wall clock.
Metal
French 19th Century Ormolu Cartel Wall Clock
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century French gilded ormolu wall clock, having Rococo influences to the scroll foliate decoration and cherubs above the eight day striking movement, circa 1880.
Ormolu
19th Century French Boulle Longcase Clock
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality late 19th Century French boulle inlaid longcase clock, having wonderful scrolling gilded ormolu mounts, an ebonised case wit...
Brass
Fine Louis XV Period Gilt Bronze Cartel Clock by Gilles L'aine
By Gilles Laine
Located in Montreal, QC
Rare Louis XV period wall clock "cartel d'applique " , finely cast and chiseled , beautiful mercury gliding , the enameled dial with roman numerals , signed GILLE LAINÉ À PARIS - Gilles Lainé ( Pierre Francois Gille ) , dit "L'AINÉ", master clock...
Bronze
Carved Giltwood Sunburst with Clock Signed Lepaute a Paris
Located in Nashville, TN
Highly decorative with two levels of carved rays centred by a clock signed Lepaute a Paris. The clock with porcelain dial over a metal form. Glass convex cover (which can be silvered...