Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
18th Century European Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Marble
1780s French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron, Metal
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Walnut
20th Century Italian Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Burl
20th Century Italian Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Walnut, Fabric
Early 20th Century American Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Fruitwood, Rosewood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Velvet, Walnut
1890s French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Lacquer
Late 19th Century European Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Limestone
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Olive, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Beech, Mahogany, Pine
1980s French Vintage Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
1720s French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal, Steel
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper, Iron
1870s French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Marble, Spelter
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Late 20th Century Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Maple
1750s French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Glass, Wood, Paint, Paper
Early 1900s European Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Giltwood, Beads
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Velvet, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Bronze, Ormolu
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Walnut, Burl
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Glass, Nutwood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Giltwood
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
Late 20th Century French Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Silver Leaf
19th Century English Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Fruitwood, Walnut
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Giltwood, Glass
18th Century French Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Chestnut
21st Century and Contemporary French Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Paper
20th Century French Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Bronze
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood