Directoire Chairs
DIRECTOIRE STYLE
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.
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Style: Directoire
Set of Four 18th Century Chairs, France, Cherry, Painted, Directoire, circa 1800
Located in Greven, DE
Set of very unusual 18th century chairs
It's a set of four chairs, all with different paintings of the Greek mythology.
Bourgogne (France)
cherrywood, oil colors
Directoire,...
Category
1790s French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Cherry
Directoire Walnut Desk Chair
Located in Essex, MA
Great scale with deep rounded back in black leather with brass tacks, conforming seat with turned arm supports and circular turned tapered legs.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Brass
Pair of 18th Century Italian Directoire Painted and Parcel Gilt Chairs
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of 18th century Italian Directoire painted and parcel gilt chairs.
This stunning pair of 18th century Italian Directoire chairs are pain...
Category
18th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Mohair, Wood
Beautiful Pair of 19th Century French Armchairs
Located in Stockbridge, GA
Beautiful pair of 19th century French armchairs.
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Eight walnut Direttorio chairs, Tuscany, Lucca circa 1795
Located in Prato, IT
Eight walnut Direttorio Chairs with banded backs and floral pattern carving.
Paws with carved frames typical of Lucca.
Entirely hand-sewn straw seat.
Tuscany, late 18th century
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Set of Four Directoire Mahogany Armchairs by Jacob Freres
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Each upholstered backrest with backscrolled top rail above an upholstered seat flanked by arm rests, raised on ring-turned legs; each stamped JACOB FRERES / RUE MESLEE on back rail, three with old inked inscription M Julien...
Category
1790s French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Mahogany
Pair of French Directoire Period Fauteuils
Located in Pembroke, MA
Pair of French painted fauteuils, period Directoire, newly-upholstered in museum reproduction cotton toile fabric. Paint appears original.
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of Directoire Cream-Painted Slipper Chairs
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Each with a rectangular carved panelled top rail above a pierced vertical splat and an upholstered seat, raised on front tapering circular legs and saber back legs.
The exquisite qu...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Silk, Wood
Pair of Directoire Chairs, Western, France, 1810-1820
Located in Belmont, MA
Charming pair of Directoire chairs, Western France, Strassburg region 1810-1820, cherrywood. The chairs are in very good condition with a new...
Category
1810s French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Cherry
Pair of Early 19th Century Directoire Chairs, in the manner of Bellange Frères
By Henri Jacob
Located in Berlin, DE
Pair of early 19th century mahogany side chairs in the manner of Bellange Frères. Raised on turned tapering front legs and sabre rear legs, carved with pierced splades in the shape o...
Category
Early 1800s French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Leather, Mahogany
Set of Six Italian 19th Century Directoire Style Olive Wood Dining Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional complete set of six Italian 19th century Directoire st. olive wood dining chairs. Each chair is raised by elegant lightly curved square legs below the straight apron. ...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Olive
Pair of Directoire Style Fauteuils with Matching Ottoman
Located in Dallas, TX
A pair of painted Directoire style fauteuils with matching foot stool all upholstered in a needlepoint tapestry.
Category
20th Century French Directoire Chairs
Pair of 19th Century French Directoire Style Cherrywood Chairs
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and unusual pair of 19th century, French Directoire st. cherry wood chair. The chairs are raised by slightly curved legs below a stunning straight apron with an attractive...
Category
19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Cherry
Late 19th Century Directoire Style Armchair
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful 19th century Directoire style armchair with pegged construction. Newly upholstered in textured purple/white fabric with plum linen back. Shell details carved to back with s...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Wood
Neoclassical Consulate Fauteuil or Armchair, Italy, circa 1800
Located in Kinderhook, NY
Elegant Italian, French Consulate style and period carved walnut fauteuil having Klismos style tablet form backrest above central X-form open splat, a...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Mahogany
Directoire Armchair 19th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
This nice chair of directoire style is characterized by straight and simple forms. The uprights are made of turned wood with floral motifs on the connecting dice (seat and armrests)....
Category
19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Wood
French Directoire Style Ebonized Carved Dolphins Desk Armchair
Located in Lake Worth, FL
For FULL item description click on CONTINUE READING at the bottom of this page.
Offering one of our recent Palm Beach Estate fine furniture acquisitions of a
French regency Italian style with Ebonized arms & carved dolphins desk...
Category
1980s American Vintage Directoire Chairs
Materials
Cotton, Wood
French Mid-20th Century Directoire Style Armchairs
Located in Stockbridge, GA
French mid-20th century Directoire style armchairs.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Directoire Chairs
Materials
Cherry
Italy 19th Century Walnut Directory "Gondola" Chair Restored new-Upholstered
Located in Vigonza, Padua
A nice 19th century walnut directory Gondola chair from Italy restored and re-upholstered
Measure cm: H 76\40 W 53 D 51.
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Dining Room Set of Eight Italian Chairs and a Pair of Armchairs, 1790
Located in Rome, IT
A fine set of Nord-Italian walnut chairs (8) and a pair of armchairs,
Covered in ivory color silk in perfect condition.
Lombardy Nord Italy, last quarter of the 18th century.
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Fine Italian Dining Room Set of Eight Chairs and a Pair of Armchairs, 1790
Located in Rome, IT
Elegant set of Nord-Italian walnut chairs (8) and a pair of armchairs,
Covered in ivory color silk in perfect condition.
Lombardy Nord Italy, last quarter of the 18th century.
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
French 18th Century Directoire Mahogany Chairs with Silk Blend Upholster Fabric
Located in Firenze, IT
This beautiful set of four late 18th-early 19th century European Directoire period mahogany gondola chairs will be the perfect addition to your dining room or living room as they can be used as dining room chairs or side side chairs...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Cotton, Silk, Upholstery, Mahogany, Giltwood
Directoire Chairs, France, 19th Century
Located in Greding, DE
Four French Directoire walnut chairs with a cushioned S-shaped backrest and a trapezoidal seat, standing on conical feet in the front and saber legs in the rear. The chairs were prof...
Category
19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Pair of Exceptional Consulate Armchairs
Located in New Orleans, LA
Beautifully carved and painted period consulate chairs.
Category
18th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
19th Century French Pair of Directory-style Armchairs Upholstered in Vichy
Located in Lisboa, PT
This exquisite pair of 19th-century French armchairs embodies the elegance and refined simplicity of the Directory style, which flourished during a pivotal era in French history. Eac...
Category
19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Fabric, Wood
French Late 18th Century Painted Directoire Chair
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A late 18th century French side chair from the Directoire Period with a carved and parcel gilt cream painted frame. The backsplat with a carved classical urn. Upholstered in green Empire...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Wood
Faux Suede Directoire Style Bergere
Located in New York, NY
Elegant faux suede Directoire style bergere with fluted and tapered legs and curved columnar arm details. Natural colored wood showing great a...
Category
1950s French Vintage Directoire Chairs
Materials
Suede
Dining Room Set of Eight Italian Chairs and a Pair of Armchairs, 1790
Located in Rome, IT
A fine set of Nord-Italian walnut chairs (8) and a pair of armchairs,
Covered in ivory color silk in perfect condition.
Lombardy Nord Italy, last quarter of the 18th century.
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Set of Six Directoire Mahogany Dining Chairs Attributed to Georges Jacob
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A set of six period Directoire dining chairs carved in Honduras mahogany. Identical chairs are shown in the reference book "Ebenists of the 18th century". While unstamped, this set comes with written documentation and attribution to George Jacob by a leading antique dealer in Paris from where they were purchased.
Georges Jacob (6 July 1739 – 5 July 1814) the most prominent furniture maker in 18th century Paris. He produced carved, painted and gilded beds and seat furniture and upholstery work for the French royal châteaux, in the Neoclassical style that is associated with Louis XVI furniture. In his workshop he employed numerous specialist carvers and gilders. In 1785, Jacob produced the first mahogany chairs à l'anglaise, for the Comte de Provence similar in many ways to the ones on offer here.
When he retired in 1796, Georges Jacob left his workshop in the hands of his two sons, one of whom was François-Honoré-Georges Jacob-Desmalter who went on to become a leading French Empire Furniture...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Mahogany
Dining Room Set of Eight Italian Chairs and a Pair of Armchairs, 1790
Located in Rome, IT
A fine set of Nord-Italian walnut chairs (8) and a pair of armchairs,
Covered in ivory color silk in perfect condition.
Lombardy Nord Italy, last quarter of the 18th century.
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Walnut
19th Century, French Louis XVI Style Six Wood Chairs and Two Wood Armchairs
Located in IT
19th century, French Louis XVI style six wood chairs and two wood armchairs
France, late 19th century
Size: chairs, cm H back 90, seat height 46 x...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Directoire Chairs
Materials
Bronze
Directoire chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Directoire chairs for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage chairs created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include seating and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Directoire chairs made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Italy pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original chairs, popular names associated with this style include Henri Jacobs, and Jacob Freres Rue Meslée. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for chairs differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $795 and tops out at $19,408 while the average work can sell for $4,530.