Louis XV Chairs
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Louis XV Chairs
Giltwood
2010s Indian Louis XV Chairs
Metal, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Sheet Metal
2010s British Louis XV Chairs
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary American Louis XV Chairs
Fabric, Fruitwood
2010s Indian Louis XV Chairs
Metal, Bronze, Sheet Metal, Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Louis XV Chairs
Upholstery
2010s Indian Louis XV Chairs
Metal, Bronze, Sheet Metal
2010s Italian Louis XV Chairs
Beech
2010s Indian Louis XV Chairs
Metal, Bronze, Sheet Metal
2010s Italian Louis XV Chairs
Beech
Early 2000s Italian Louis XV Chairs
Cotton
2010s British Louis XV Chairs
Gesso, Wood
2010s American Louis XV Chairs
Linen, Cane, Hardwood
1950s French Vintage Louis XV Chairs
Fabric, Oak
2010s American Louis XV Chairs
Rush, Wood
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Chairs
Leather
2010s Polish Louis XV Chairs
Steel, Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century American Louis XV Chairs
Steel
1960s American Vintage Louis XV Chairs
Aluminum
1980s American Vintage Louis XV Chairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Louis XV Chairs
Metal
1970s American Vintage Louis XV Chairs
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
Late 20th Century Louis XV Chairs
Cotton, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Chairs
Wood
1960s American Vintage Louis XV Chairs
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
2010s Dutch Louis XV Chairs
Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Louis XV Chairs
Upholstery, Cherry
Early 2000s American Louis XV Chairs
Walnut
2010s British Louis XV Chairs
Wood, Paint