French Provincial Picture Frames
Removed from the fashions of the court, French Provincial style developed in the provinces of the country, such as Provence, Normandy, the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. Dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, French Provincial furniture was not as ostentatious as the designs being produced for the royal palaces, but elegant S-shape cabriole legs and ornate carvings elevated the sturdy chairs, sofas, tables and bedroom furniture intended for everyday use.
Although it varies by region, antique French Provincial furniture is unified by solid construction and an artisanal attention to design. While this furniture often followed the metropolitan trends — including the Rococo or neoclassical aesthetics of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI — since it was produced in the French countryside it was more subdued with nods to its rustic settings.
Local materials like fruitwoods, oak, beech and walnut were used to construct large French Provincial armoires for storage and comfortable armchairs with rush-woven seats. Wrought-iron elements and carvings like floral details and scallop patterns were common as ornamentation. Furniture was frequently painted white or other muted colors that coordinated with gilt and would acquire a patina of age over time. Other wood was just stained with vibrant fabric such as toile de Jouy, which sometimes depicted pastoral scenes, adding color as upholstery.
The style arrived in the United States after World War I, with soldiers returning home wanting furniture like what they had seen in the rural homes and castles of France. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, designer John Widdicomb split from his family business, the Widdicomb Furniture Company, and had been focusing on Louis XV– and French Provincial–style furnishings since the early 1900s. Other American manufacturers such as Baker, Drexel, Henredon and Thomasville also responded to demand. Today antique French Provincial pieces and reproductions continue to be popular.
Find a collection of antique French Provincial dining tables, seating, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Paper, Giltwood, Glass
1880s Danish Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Pine, Paint
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Rope
Late 20th Century French Provincial Picture Frames
Giltwood
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Linen, Giltwood
Early 2000s American French Provincial Picture Frames
Enamel
1880s Italian Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Canvas, Paint
1940s Italian Vintage French Provincial Picture Frames
Resin, Hardwood
1950s Italian Vintage French Provincial Picture Frames
Brass
1890s French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Copper
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Canvas
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Bronze, Brass
1930s French Vintage French Provincial Picture Frames
Glass
20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Bronze
1840s American Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Gesso, Canvas, Wood, Giltwood, Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Gesso, Wood
1970s French Vintage French Provincial Picture Frames
Other
Mid-20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Oak
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Fabric, Glass, Walnut
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Picture Frames
Paint
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Picture Frames
Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Canvas
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Canvas
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Oak, Paint
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Picture Frames
Wood, Giltwood
20th Century American French Provincial Picture Frames
Glass, Mirror, Plastic
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Picture Frames
Wood, Giltwood