Formed in the wake of the Jacobin Reign of Terror’s bloody guillotine, the Directoire was established to lead France into order through the leadership of a five-member council of directors. It was brief, lasting only from 1795 to 1799, ending with Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup d’état, and was economically tumultuous. Yet it was an essential bridge between the era of Louis XVI and the elaborate Empire style that followed, with Directoire furniture and decorative arts shaped by a royal passion for classical design and an enthusiasm for postrevolutionary France.
Much of the country’s furniture production had halted during the French Revolution when the furniture guilds system was abolished, but during the Directoire period, the cabinetmakers restarted their businesses, such as François-Honoré-Georges and Jacob-Desmalter who established a new workshop called Jacob-Frères. Pieces made in walnut, elm, mahogany and other inexpensive materials incorporated influences ranging from Egypt to Pompeii, with popular forms including the curule armchair based on an ancient Roman design. The aesthetics of the transitional style were more austere than during the monarchy, with court cabinetmaker Jean-Baptiste Sené, for instance, reimagining his workshop’s neoclassical-style furniture with ungilded surfaces and a reduction of ornamentation.
Symbols referencing the revolutionary tenets of liberty, equality and fraternity were frequently carved into Directoire furnishings, such as the Phrygian cap, clasped hands and the fasces, which is an image of a bound bundle of sticks adopted from the Roman Republic, where it was seen as an emblem of strength through unity.
Elements of the French Directoire style continued through Empire style. Designers Charles Percier and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine are credited today as major proponents of both movements. The classically inspired furniture design is represented in pieces such as the boat-shaped daybed and the klismos chair, which endured in French interiors as well as in styles abroad, including American Directoire.
Find a collection of antique Directoire chairs, tables, daybeds, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
18th Century Porcelain Cabinet Cup and Saucer Empire French Locre and Russinger
By Locre, Meissen Porcelain, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM), Dresden Porcelain
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Antique French Locre & Russinger French gilded porcelain cup and saucer with figural handle On the cup four landscapes in reserve (2 lozenge) and a row embossed pearls. In the corner...
Gold Leaf
$2,160Sale Price / set|20% Off
18th Century Porcelain Cabinet Cup and Saucer Empire Directoire French porcelain
By Meissen Porcelain, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM), Porcelaine de Paris, Dresden Porcelain
Located in Wommelgem, VAN
Antique French Paris porcelain cabinet cup and saucer with figural griffin handle The cup is divided in three section by two rows of embossed pearls. In the middle section four burni...
Gold Leaf
$2,100 / set
H 1.23 in Dm 1.58 in
18th Century Japanese Imari Gold Porcelain Small Lobbed Cups and Saucers
Located in Delft, NL
18th century Japanese Imari Gold porcelain small lobbed cups and saucers Early 18th century imari gold lobbed Japanese cups and saucers Small cups and saucers...
Porcelain
Sevres Porcelain Trembleuse Cup and Saucer First Size
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Tunbridge Wells, GB
Heading : 18th Century Sevres 1st Size Trembleuse Cup and Saucer Date : Late 18th Century c1790 Marks : Interlaced L mark in blue. Incised OO mark on b...
Porcelain
Antique Meissen Porcelain Floral Encrusted Tea Cup & Saucer
Located in Atlanta, GA
Meissen, Germany, late 19th to early 20th century Hard-paste porcelain, hand-painted with polychrome enamels and gilt accents, applied porcelain flowers, five small knop feet. ...
Porcelain
$2,850 / set
H 1.88 in Dm 3.25 in
Antique Signed 18th Century Sevres Porcelain Floral Cornflower Cup & Saucer
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique French porcelain cup & saucer pair. By Sevres. In a blue Cornflower pattern. Each with blue floral decoration with gilt accents to the rim, footrim, and body. The saucer also with a pink flower to its center. Marked 'Bo' - likely for painter Henry-Germain Boileau fils. Circa 1792. Fully marked to the base of each. Simply a wonderful Sevres cup and saucer...
Porcelain
$595 / set
H 2.5 in Dm 4.63 in
Set of 2 Signed Richard Klemm Dresden Porcelain Demitasse Cups & Saucers
By Dresden Porcelain, Meissen Porcelain
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine set of 2 Dresden porcelain demitasse cups and saucers. By Richard Klemm. The cups with slightly tapered sides and a flattened c-shaped handle. The saucer with a broad rim an...
Porcelain
Vienna porcelain - Cup and Saucer, early 19th century
Located in DELFT, NL
This fine cup and saucer set was produced by the Wiener Porzellanmanufaktur, also known as the Kaiserlich privilegierte Porzellan-Fabrik, established in 1718. Founded by Claudius Inn...
Porcelain
$1,250
H 4.25 in Dm 5.13 in
Early 19th Century Biedermeier Period Topographical Porcelain Cup and Saucer
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique German Biedermeier period topographical porcelain cup and saucer. The front decorated with a finely hand painted depiction of ...
Porcelain
$580
H 4 in W 5.25 in D 5.25 in
19th Century Biedermeier Period Topographical Porcelain Cup and Saucer
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful setting of two china porcelain pieces, made in Germany, in the mid 19th Century. All items are in very good condition with no chips, cracks, or flea bites, only a view mi...
Porcelain
André Leboeuf, Porcelain Cup and Saucer - late 18th century, Paris
Located in DELFT, NL
Cup and saucer, attributed to the Parisian Manufacture à la Reine rue Thiroux. ca 1785-1790. Refined and elaborate decoration of flower festoons and gilt ornament. The manufacture w...
Porcelain
$695 / set
H 3 in Dm 5.5 in
Antique English Chelsea Style Porcelain Chocolate Cup & Saucer Birds of Paradise
By Meissen Porcelain, Chelsea Porcelain, Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique English porcelain chocolate cup and saucer pair. In the Chelsea Porcelain style. Each hand painted with polychrome bird of paradise motifs surrounded by floral devic...
Porcelain
Porcelaine de Paris - Coffee cup and saucer 'Litron', early 19th century
Located in DELFT, NL
Elegant cup and saucer, of the model 'Litron' with elaborate gilt decoration of vine leafs Fair condition; Little hairline. Tiny fleebites to the rims and little loss of gold. Unma...
Porcelain
Popov, Moscow Porcelain - Covered Cup and Saucer - mid 19th century, Russia
Located in DELFT, NL
Popov porcelain; Russian covered broth bowl & stand. Broth bowl and stand, superbly decorated in the Rococo taste with delightful swags of flowers pe...
Porcelain
Sold
H 8.12 in Dm 4.06 in
Large Directoire Paris porcelain biscuit bowl - Locré Manufacture, 19th century
By Locré & Russinger's Factory 1
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
A fine Paris porcelain biscuit bowl, beautiful model enhanced with fine gold gilt Directoire patterns. High-end Parisian production, late 18th century circa 1795. Signed by French Lo...
Porcelain