French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
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.
19th Century Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Iron
20th Century French French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Raffia
Late 20th Century French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
Early 20th Century Unknown French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Wrought Iron
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Early 20th Century American French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Wrought Iron
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
1950s Austrian Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
1950s Spanish Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
20th Century French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal, Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
1950s French Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Aluminum, Brass
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze, Tôle
Mid-20th Century Italian French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal, Gold Leaf
2010s Italian French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal, Brass
1970s Italian Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Chrome
1950s Italian Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
1990s French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Giltwood
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
1930s American Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
1930s Vintage French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Silver
Early 1900s French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Wood
18th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Iron
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Sheet Metal
19th Century French Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Iron
Mid-19th Century Antique French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Tin
Early 20th Century French French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
Early 20th Century French Provincial Wall Lights and Sconces
Hardwood, Paint