Louis XVI Seating
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.
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XVI Seating
Canvas, Walnut
1780s French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Cane, Wood
1980s Vintage Louis XVI Seating
Damask, Mahogany, Cotton
2010s French Louis XVI Seating
Leather, Upholstery, Beech
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Cane, Oak
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Wood
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Seating
Cane, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Silk, Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Louis XVI Seating
Walnut
1960s Vintage Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery
21st Century and Contemporary European Louis XVI Seating
Wood
1960s American Vintage Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery, Cane, Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Giltwood
Mid-20th Century American Louis XVI Seating
Velvet, Wood
Early 20th Century Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Tapestry, Giltwood
1920s French Vintage Louis XVI Seating
Leather, Upholstery, Wood
18th Century Belgian Antique Louis XVI Seating
Cane, Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Tapestry, Giltwood
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Textile, Linen, Wood, Paint
1780s Italian Antique Louis XVI Seating
Walnut
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Beech
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Bouclé, Upholstery, Oak
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery, Walnut
Mid-18th Century Antique Louis XVI Seating
Beech
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Wood, Giltwood
Late 20th Century Unknown Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery, Wood
2010s British Louis XVI Seating
Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Wool, Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary American Louis XVI Seating
Rush, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Beech
Early 20th Century Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery, Giltwood
1860s French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Beech
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Beech
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XVI Seating
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Cane, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Velvet, Wood
Mid-20th Century Louis XVI Seating
Upholstery, Ash
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Leather, Linen
18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Wood, Walnut
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Mohair, Walnut
2010s Indian Louis XVI Seating
Metal
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Upholstery, Velvet, Beech
2010s Indian Louis XVI Seating
Copper, Sheet Metal
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Cane, Wood, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Silk, Walnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Seating
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Louis XVI Seating
Wood
2010s Italian Louis XVI Seating
Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Seating
Fabric, Fruitwood
1940s French Vintage Louis XVI Seating
Faux Leather, Wood, Cane