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.
$1,920Sale Price|20% Off
Antique 18th C Side Chairs W Tapestry Textile
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Antique 18th C Side Chairs W Flemish Tapestry Textile
Textile, Wood
Pair of Late 18th Century French Directoire Period Painted Side Chairs
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This pair of late eighteenth century French Directoire period painted side chairs features its original patina. Their curved seat backs are detailed with a hand carved laurels at the...
Upholstery, Ash
Set of Six 19th Century Directoire Style Carved Wood Chairs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A beautiful set of six 19th century Directoire style chairs, each crafted in carved wood and resting on elegant sword legs. The square backs are adorned with finely detailed carving,...
Wood
Set of Eight French Directoire Side Chairs, Attributed to Jacob, Circa 1800
By Georges Jacob
Located in New York, NY
Set of Eight Directoire Side Chairs France, circa 1795–1805 This refined set of eight French Directoire side chairs exemplifies the restrained neoclassicism that emerged in the year...
Wood
Pair of French Directoire Style Gilt Bronze and Marble Side Tables
Located in Dallas, TX
Beautiful pair of French Directoire style gilt bronze and marble side tables. These tables are extremely fine quality and a gorgeous finish. Creates a very polished look!.
Marble, Bronze
Pair of Early 19th Century French Directoire Period Painted Side Chairs
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Elegant pair of late 19th century French Directoire period painted side chairs with their original patina. Lovely curved seat backs are detailed with a hand carved urn at each back t...
Upholstery, Wood
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...
Mohair, Wood
$1,700Sale Price / set|22% Off
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...
Cherry
An Exceptional Set of Six Inlaid Directoire Period Mahogany Dining Chairs
By Charles Percier
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
All six frames featuring swan shaped brass inlaid motifs strikingly silhouetted against ebonized panels within brass moldings, over hand carved lyre-shaped splats replete with brass 'strings'. The frames also featuring brass strung stiles, front seat rails & sabre-leg front supports. All are in exceptionally sound condition due to the classical construction method of using oak as the secondary wood for added strength & durability. The swan motif was highly favored by cabinetmakers & mount makers during the Directoire Period and was associated with Napoleons consort Josephine, by interpreting her protective nature towards her children like that of a swan towards it's cygnets). For comparative examples see works by Charles Percier...
Brass
Late 18th Century Set of 6 Directoire "Etrusque" Side Chairs, Manner of G. Jacob
By Georges Jacob
Located in Berlin, DE
Set of six sidechairs raised on circular front legs and square curved back legs, backrest with carved pierced latticework, the intersections of which are decorated with stylised rosettes, the top rail curved backwards. All side chairs are upholstered with elegant yellow / golden paisley pattern jacquard fabric by RUBELLI. The set of 6 Directoire side chairs with its shape "à l'Étrusque" and its characteristic backrest design is closely related to chairs made by Georges Jacob (1739-1814): Georges Jacob was one of the most prominent Parisian chair...
Upholstery, Wood
Directoire Style Carved Walnut Cane Back Desk Vanity Side Chair
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This refined Directoire style carved walnut side chair perfectly embodies the understated elegance and neoclassical influence of late 18th-century French design. Crafted from warm-to...
Cane, Walnut
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...
Leather, Mahogany
$2,560Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of 18th Century French Directoire Side Chairs
Located in Dallas, TX
Late 18th century carved and painted Directoire side chairs. Featuring a lovely patina and upholstered in a pastel plaid. Pretty! Circa 1795 19w x 15d x 34.5h
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of Cal-Style Side Chairs
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A pair of Cal-Style Mid-Century Modern side chairs with tubular chrome base and original upholstered seat and back.
Chrome
$2,240Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 32.29 in W 18.51 in D 18.9 in
Pair of 19th Century Biedermeier Fruitwood Side Chairs
Located in Berlin, DE
A pair of beautifully honey colored fruitwood Biedermeier side chairs, with gently curved rectangular backs, the top and side inlaid with banding, the splat carved with a stylized flower head, on sabre legs. Newly upholstered in black Prussian horse hair fabric...
Fruitwood
Pair of Late 18th Century Swedish Rococo Chairs
Located in Gloucestershire, GB
A pair of shapely late 18th Century Swedish Rococo side chairs. With carved top rail and serpentine seat over a generous cabriole leg, terminating in ball and claw feet. The whole re...
Pine, Paint
$2,721 / set
H 35.04 in W 21.66 in D 21.66 in
Pair of 19th Century William IV Period Mahogany Side Chairs
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
A pair of 19th century William IV period fine quality solid mahogany bar back side chairs with newly upholstered seats, in excellent condition. These strong chairs are designed with ...
Upholstery, Wood
Pair of 18th Century Antique Elm Side Chairs
Located in Martlesham, GB
A pair of mid 18th Century elm side chairs from the Georgian period, having a shaped rail above a decorative shaped splat with turned side supports, wonderfully figured plank seat wi...
Elm
$1,380 / set
H 33.47 in W 22.84 in D 22.45 in
Pair Of Antique French Directoire Period Painted Armchairs, Late 18th Century
Located in Bristol, GB
PAIR OF ANTIQUE FRENCH UPHOLSTERED CHAIRS A pair of extremely romantic chairs with carved frames, painted in a buttery cream paint with sap green and orange details. naturally worn ...
Fabric, Textile, Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Thonet Sider Chairs Attributed to Marcel Kammerer
Located in Vienna, AT
Katalog No, A 335 beech bentwood with plywood seat and backrest attributed to Marcel Kammerer. Professionaly restored. Signed Thonet on the frame.
Beech, Bentwood, Plywood
Pair of 18th Century Swedish Rococo Walnut Side Chairs
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of Swedish Rococo period walnut side chairs from the 18th century, with upholstery and cabriole legs. Created in Sweden during the 18th century, each of this pair of Rococo ch...
Upholstery, Walnut
$4,800 / set
H 39 in W 16.5 in D 18 in
19th Century Set of Six Directoire Style Mahogany Dining Chairs
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Opulent set of six mahogany French dining chairs made in the transitional directoire pre-Empire taste. The chairs feature gracefully curv...
Brass, Ormolu
Pair of 19th century carved walnut side chairs
Located in Debenham, Suffolk
Pair of 19th century carved walnut side chairs circa 1870. Good quality pair of side chairs which would ideally suit a bedroom or dressing room. Cartouche shaped back rest surmount...
Fabric, Walnut
19th Century English Chinoiserie Painted Side Chair
Located in Houston, TX
19th Century English side chair: painted ebonized wood with chinoiserie detailing, turned spindle splats beneath a shaped crest rail, caned seat and hand turned legs. Newly upholster...
Velvet, Cane, Wood
$3,850 / set
H 34 in W 17.5 in D 20 in
A set of six French Directoire style painted dining room chairs, 19th C.
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Comprised of six side chairs all painted and of pegged construction. Having rosette and diamond carved crests above pierced splats and upholstered seats, all supported by turned tape...
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Pair Of Antique French Custom Upholstered Carved Side Chairs
Located in Bridgeport, CT
The pair of heavy wood side chairs are in a walnut stain with carved details. The backs with ribbed frames and the front seat rails with decorative brass appliques with rosettes flan...
Brass
Sold
H 34 in W 18 in D 18.75 in
Antique 18th C. French Directoire Cherry Lacca Contrafatta Side Chair Rush Seat
Located in Dayton, OH
Charming Late 18th Century French Neoclassical Directoire Chair. Made from cherry with a contoured back over a tole peinte or lacca contrafatta panels showcasing an old landscape / ...
Rush, Cherry
Sold
H 34.5 in W 20 in D 23 in
Green Lacquered Directoire Chair with Palmette & Cassolette Details(6 Available)
Located in New York, NY
A refined suite of six green lacquered wood chairs, distinguished by baluster front legs and elegantly curved saber back legs. The chairs feature rectangular openwork backs adorned w...
Wood
Pair of French 18th Century Directoire Chairs
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
A petite pair of Directoire period side chairs made in France. The carved hardwood chair frames have their original worn paint which perfectly compliments the worn velvet fabric and...
Velvet, Wood, Paint
Pair of Italian Grotto Style Shell Back Side Chairs
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Pair of Directoire / Grotto style beech wood side chairs with shell carved backs, made in Italy, circa 1970's.
Upholstery, Beech
Sold
H 33.25 in W 16 in D 17.5 in
Pair of French Directoire Period Walnut Side Chairs with Carved Stags
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of French Directoire period walnut side chairs from the early 19th century, with out-scrolling backs, carved stag splats, rush seats and small cushions. We currently have thre...
Upholstery, Walnut
Sold
H 36 in W 19 in D 16.5 in
Set or Pair of Italian Neoclassical Directoire Fruitwood Klismos Side Chairs
Located in Nashville, TN
In leopard or cheetah velvet. Both in hand carved and peg constructed. Directoire frames and of slight Klismos form. Pretty well untouched (other than new leo...
Fruitwood
French Directoire Style Green Velvet Chair
Located in Montreal, Quebec
French Directoire Style chair, upholstered in green velvet. The Directoire or Directory style takes its name from the period 1795–1799 when France was ruled by a government of Di...
Wood, Velvet
Sold
H 33 in W 19 in D 17 in
Set of Six 20th Century Directoire Style Walnut Dining Chairs or Side Chairs
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This set of six French Directoire style dining chairs from the mid-20th century are constructed of solid walnut. They feature scrolled seat backs and turned front legs. The square ba...
Upholstery, Walnut
Sold
H 34 in W 16.5 in D 18 in
Set of Six Early 20th Century French Directoire Style Painted Dining Chairs
Located in Fayetteville, AR
This set of six early twentieth century French Directoire style dining chairs or side chairs features a scrolled seatback detailed with a palmette and a stylized rosette inset in a d...
Leather, Wood
Sold
H 35.25 in W 19 in D 18 in
Set of 6 Antique French Directoire Style Painted Cane Back Dining Side Chairs
Located in Birmingham, AL
A handsome set of 6 early 20th century French Directoire style painted dining side chairs, circa 1920s, having hand caned backs, upholstered seats with nailhead trim, and typical neo...
Wood
Sold
H 35.5 in W 17.5 in D 17.5 in
Jansen French Directoire Style Beige and Gilt Painted Wood and Black Leather
Located in Queens, NY
Set of 4 French Directoire-style (mid-20th Century) side chairs with ivory painted and gilt wood frames, giltwood urn and plume design open carved backs, and black leather slip seats...
Wood, Leather, Upholstery