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.
Pair of Louis XVI style Cassolettes attr. to H. Vian, France, circa 1890
By Henri Vian
Located in PARIS, FR
Beautiful pair of Louis XVI-inspired baluster-shaped cassolettes in white marble, enriched with an elegant bronze mount with a double patina. The lid is topped with a seed-shaped gri...
Marble, Bronze
Camille Le Tallec Paris Porcelain Tea Caddy, Hand-Painted and Gilt, France 1950s
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A fine French porcelain tea caddy or covered jar, designed and entirely hand-painted by the celebrated Camille Le Tallec atelier in Paris, circa 1950. This elegant piece features a ...
Porcelain, Paint
C1780 Pair of 18th Century French Louis XVI Covered Jars with Dore Bronze Mounts
Located in Phoenix, AZ
C1780 Pair of 18th Century French Louis XVI Covered Jars with Dore Bronze Mounts. Beautiful pair purchased in France. Age appropriate wear, see detailed photos or message us with que...
Bronze
$4,400 / set
H 19.5 in W 8 in D 4.5 in
19th Century French Gilt Porcelain Vases, Hand-Painted Urns, Pair
Located in Tarry Town, NY
19th century pair of French figural glazed porcelain vases / urns with exterior gilt painted design scene details. Each vase / urn is in good condition. No chips, cracks, or restoration observed. Minor wear consistent with age / use. Each one stands about 19.5 inches tall x 8 inches wide X 4.5 deep pair of French figural porcelain...
Gold
$26,800 / set
H 14 in W 8 in D 8 in
Pr Louis XVI French Dore Bronze Mounted Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Potpourri
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic Pair of 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Dore Bronze Mounted Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Potpourris. Each dark blue ground porcelain body is beautifully hand-enamel...
Bronze
$13,195Sale Price / set|30% Off
H 26.5 in W 8 in D 5.5 in
Pr. French 19th C. Louis XVI Style Dore Bronze Enamel & Marble Mtd. Vases
Located in New York, NY
A Pair of French 19th century Louis XVI style Dore bronze, Champlevé Enamel, and rouge marble mounted 'Day and Night' Vases. Each vase is beautifully cast, hand-chased, and hand-chiseled with meticulous detail. On each of the vases are relief images of arabesque woman each representing night and day in draped clothing...
Marble, Bronze, Enamel
Tiffany Le Tallec Cirque Chinois Porcelain Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
Atelier Le Tallec For Tiffany & Company, 20th century. One of the most collectible patterns, these boxes do not come available often. Marked to bottom.
Enamel
$3,450 / set
H 19 in W 9.25 in D 7.5 in
Pair of French Paris Porcelain Chinoiserie Gilt and Cerulean Blue Ground Vases
Located in San Francisco, CA
a large and elegant pair of Louis XVI Style urns with hand-painted gilt decoration depicting Chinese figures in a tranquil landscape setting; fitted with gilt pistol handles at the s...
Porcelain
$1,850 / set
H 14.5 in W 7.5 in D 4 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Marble and Gilt Bronze Candlesticks or Cassolettes
Located in Greenwich, CT
Nice Pair of French Louis XVI Marble and Gilt Bronze Candlesticks or Cassolettes , the urn -shaped marble body acting as a vase holding a group of tulips in git bromze. Nicely detail...
Marble, Bronze
$684 / set
H 8.67 in W 5.12 in D 3.94 in
Porcelain de Paris Pair of Hand Painted Vases Napoleon III, France
Located in Prato, Tuscany
We kindly suggest you read the whole description, because with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our objects. Pair ...
Porcelain
$6,500 / set
H 23 in W 12 in D 9.5 in
Pair 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Gilt Bronze Mounted Marble Urns
Located in New York, NY
Pair of antique (19th century) French Sarrancolin marble urns with gilt bronze mounts in the Louis XVI rococo style measuring 23 by 12 by 9 1/2 inches.
Marble, Bronze
$6,880 / set
H 13 in Dm 5 in
18th Century Antique Pair of Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Jars and Covers
Located in Brea, CA
Qing Dynasty pair of antique 18th century Chinese blue and white porcelain jars and covers, 2 of five sacrificial utensil...
Porcelain
$86,226 / set
H 33.75 in Dm 11.5 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Ormolu Mounted Chinese Export Porcelain Vases
Located in New York, NY
A monumental and quite important pair of antique French Louis XVI style ormolu-mounted Chinese export porcelain vases. This exceptional pair of Louis XVI style porcelain vases are be...
Bronze
Baccarat blue opaline crystal vase - Louis XVI style - circa 1890
By Baccarat
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
A fine Baccarat vase, cobalt blue crystal overlaid on a white opaline vase, decorated with a Louis XVI style gilt laurel frieze. Late 19th century period circa 1890. The pattern is a...
Crystal
$4,900 / set
H 13 in W 7 in D 7 in
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Urn Form Gilt Bronze Mounted Granite Lamps
Located in New York, NY
A pair of unique French Louis XVI style urn-form gilt bronze-mounted granite lamps. Each lamp is constructed in a classical urn shape, with a wide, rounde...
Granite, Bronze
Sevres Porcelain Covered Jar, 19th C.
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Astoria, NY
Sevres Porcelain Covered Jar, 19th century, with "Passage des Alps" portrait of Napoleon after Jacques Louis-David, signed Garnier to lower right and titled lower left, gilt trim and...
Porcelain
Late 19th Century Lacquered Wood Florentine Apothecary Jars
Located in Catania, Sicilia
Three apothecary jars hand-crafted and lacquered in Florence in the late 19th century. they are in original conditions with signs of use and age visible on the photos. They are sold ...
Fruitwood
Set of Five Late 19th Century French Vanity Crystal Bottles with Silver Lids
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This set of five late nineteenth century French vanity bottles features an etched leaf pattern on the bottles and jars and sterling silver lids. The lids are detailed with classic Lo...
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Pair of French Louis XVI Style Bronze and Cut Crystal Garniture Vases Covers
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
A pair of French Louis XVI style bronze and diamond cut-crystal garniture vases covers, circa 1890. Very nice quality ormolu. Cut crystal bowls on three figural gilt-bronze mask s...
Crystal, Marble, Bronze, Ormolu