Antique Louis XIII furniture is not as lavish as that of his son Louis XIV, who transformed his father’s modest Versailles hunting lodge into a sumptuous palace. Yet the imposing forms of its chairs, dressers, tables and other pieces express grandeur and luxury.
When Henry IV was assassinated in the streets of Paris in 1610, his young son became the king of France. With Louis XIII too young to rule, the widowed Marie de' Medici — a native of Italy and member of the prominent House of Medici — became regent, instilling an Italian influence in the decorative arts. Even after Louis XIII exiled his mother and took power in 1617, this aesthetic informed his court style. As did the consolidation of power, established with his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, through his death in 1643.
From sturdy chests and tall cupboards to colossal four-poster beds, almost every piece of Louis XIII furniture was heavily carved or turned from dark-toned wood. Motifs of the period included scrollwork, foliage, fruits, grotesque masks and other images of abundance, often inlaid in marquetry of wood or tortoiseshell. Ornamental scenes, sometimes carved on cabinet panels and other pieces from rare ebony, oak or walnut, were borrowed from engravings by northern European masters like Peter Paul Rubens. Engravings also spread the Louis XIII style during the 17th century, particularly by printmaker Abraham Bosse, who depicted the popular Louis XIII chairs designed with upholstered seats and low, wide backs.
The lofty profiles of the French furniture complemented the architecture under the reign of Louis XIII, such as the Palais du Luxembourg by chief architect Salomon de Brosse and architect Jacques Lemercier’s chapel at the Sorbonne, which showcased the influence of Italian Baroque.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIII armchairs, storage cabinets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
Pair of Small Church Lanterns in Brass and Stained Glass Circa 1930/1950
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Pair of Small Church Lanterns in Brass and Stained Glass Circa 1930/1950 candle lighting
Brass
Sanctuary Lamp - Lantern H105 cm, made of bronze, Probably 17th Century
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Large bronze shrine lamp composed of 3 long worked chains, with balls, and a bronze bowl decorated with 3 angels on whose heads the chains hang. Uses of use, old restorations and ...
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Bronze Porch Lantern
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A fabulous large late 19th Century French Country House bronze porch lantern. Rewired and PAT tested to UK standards.
Brass, Bronze, Copper
$705Sale Price|20% Off
H 22.45 in Dm 9.06 in
1950's Steel, Brass & Glass Lantern in Style of Pietro Chiesa
Located in Schoorl, NL
Lantern consists of four glass slide-in panels, a frame and one E27 lightbulb.
Glass
Beautiful turn of the century French Bronze Lantern
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A beautiful turn of the century French bronze lantern, the patina is so much nicer in person
Bronze
Wrought Iron and Stained Glass Ceiling Lantern Lamp, 1950s
Located in Miami, FL
Antique wrought iron and stained glass ceiling lantern lamp Old outdoor lantern lamp with wrought iron ceiling and colored glass. Wrought i...
Metal
Antique Dutch Copper Lantern – 17th/18th Century – Arts & Crafts Style
Located in Antwerp, BE
Antique Dutch Copper Lantern – 17th/18th Century – Arts & Crafts Style A rare and characterful large hanging lantern from the Netherlands, likely crafted in the late 17th or early 1...
Copper
Early 20th Century English Bronze Lantern
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
Impressive early 20th Century English bronze lantern. Of good proportions and colour. This substantial lantern is in the style of Sir Edwin Luyterns and dates from the 1920s . Wond...
Brass, Bronze
Bronze Lantern
Located in Antwerp, BE
Bronze and crystal lantern. Measures: Diameter 22 cm. Height fixture 55 cm. Total height including the chain and canopy 105 cm. Weight 5 kg.
Crystal, Bronze
Stained Glass and Riveted Copper Lantern
Located in Greenwich, CT
An Arts & Crafts lantern having a tapered copper frame bearing rivetted sides with a squared roof and a flared base with curved cutouts, suspended from a brass hook, the four sides e...
Copper
$1,304
H 24.02 in Dm 11.62 in
French Directoire Style Brass Hall Lantern with Beveled Glass, circa 1930
Located in Kastrup, DK
Elegant French hall lantern crafted in solid brass with beveled glass panels and refined details in the Directoire taste. The lantern is built around a light and graceful architectu...
Brass
Fine Pair of Late 19th Century Gilt Bronze Five-Light Lanterns
Located in Long Island City, NY
A fine pair of late 19th century gilt bronze five-light lanterns. The lanterns of octagonal form with a pieced gallery with stars circling the top. Five interior lights.
Bronze
Arts and Crafts Brass & Stained Glass Lantern
Located in Altrincham, GB
Arts and Crafts brass framed hanging lantern with leaded stained glass panels hanging from chain and rose - 7.5" x 7.5" x 9"h plus chain and rose - all lights and lamps have been rew...
Brass
1950's Glass & Brass Lantern in Style of Fontana Arte
By Fontana Arte
Located in Schoorl, NL
Delicate 1950s lantern. Consists of four etched glass panels, a brass frame and one E14 lightbulb.
Glass
Sold
H 42 in W 62 in D 19.5 in
Louis XIII Period Steel Grain Scale now wired as a Hanging Fixture, ca. 1706
Located in Atlanta, GA
heavy and constructed entirely of steel with a center pendulum and smaller pendulums on the ends, the hooks were used for hanging loads for weighing, da...