French Provincial Antiquities
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.
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Antiquities
Wood
Early 1900s Danish Antique French Provincial Antiquities
Aluminum
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Antiquities
Wire
1870s French Antique French Provincial Antiquities
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century American French Provincial Antiquities
Fabric, Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American French Provincial Antiquities
Fabric, Wood
1970s American Vintage French Provincial Antiquities
Rattan
Late 19th Century Swiss Antique French Provincial Antiquities
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Antiquities
Metal
2010s Chinese French Provincial Antiquities
Other
1870s French Antique French Provincial Antiquities
Oak, Wicker, Leather
Early 20th Century Swiss French Provincial Antiquities
Metal
1960s Spanish Vintage French Provincial Antiquities
Wood
20th Century Chinese French Provincial Antiquities
Elm
Early 20th Century Chinese French Provincial Antiquities
Willow
Early 20th Century Japanese French Provincial Antiquities
Bamboo
