Louis XVI Sofas
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
2010s British Louis XVI Sofas
Wood
2010s Indian Louis XVI Sofas
Metal
2010s British Louis XVI Sofas
Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Sofas
Beech, Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Sofas
Fabric, Poplar
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Sofas
Linen, Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Sofas
Velvet, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Sofas
Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Louis XVI Sofas
Velvet, Walnut
2010s Spanish Louis XVI Sofas
Upholstery, Plywood, Feathers
1960s Italian Vintage Louis XVI Sofas
Leather, Rosewood
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Sofas
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Louis XVI Sofas
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
20th Century French Louis XVI Sofas
Fabric, Beech
Early 2000s Italian Louis XVI Sofas
Metal
1980s Vintage Louis XVI Sofas
Cotton, Walnut
19th Century Swedish Antique Louis XVI Sofas
Fabric, Wood, Paint