Louis XV Seating
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 French Antique Louis XV Seating
Tapestry, Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Giltwood
Early 20th Century Swiss Louis XV Seating
Silver Leaf
20th Century French Louis XV Seating
Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Giltwood
20th Century German Louis XV Seating
Wood
20th Century French Louis XV Seating
Fabric, Beech
1960s American Vintage Louis XV Seating
Wood
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Seating
Walnut
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Seating
Cane, Hardwood
Early 20th Century Louis XV Seating
Leather, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Leather, Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Silk, Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut, Fabric
20th Century French Louis XV Seating
Linen
1950s American Vintage Louis XV Seating
Fabric, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Seating
Walnut
1960s Unknown Vintage Louis XV Seating
Upholstery, Cane, Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut
18th Century Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Leather, Walnut
1780s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut
1870s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Silk, Walnut
20th Century European Louis XV Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Seating
Oak
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Upholstery, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut, Leather, Textile
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Cane, Walnut
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Beech
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Upholstery, Oak
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Softwood
Late 18th Century British Antique Louis XV Seating
Linen, Wood
18th Century European Antique Louis XV Seating
Velvet, Oak
18th Century European Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood
Early 2000s American Louis XV Seating
Wood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Cane, Walnut
Late 20th Century Louis XV Seating
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Silk, Giltwood
20th Century Louis XV Seating
Burlap, Linen, Giltwood
18th Century European Antique Louis XV Seating
Oak
Late 19th Century Antique Louis XV Seating
Fabric, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Oak, Paint
1880s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Beech
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Walnut
1930s French Vintage Louis XV Seating
Linen, Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Nutwood
Early 20th Century Louis XV Seating
Fabric, Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XV Seating
Damask, Walnut
1910s Swedish Vintage Louis XV Seating
Walnut
18th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Hardwood
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood, Giltwood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XV Seating
Wood