Louis XIV Furniture
As opposed to the styles that would follow from the other 18th-century French kings, Louis XV and Louis XVI, antique Louis XIV furniture is rigid and imposing. It expresses opulence — even its armchairs, with their upright backs, straight legs and lavish ornamentation, look like thrones. Authentic Louis XIV sofas, a then newly emerging iteration of seating, are fully upholstered and often feature decoratively carved frames of walnut, chestnut or oak.
When French King Louis XIV established his royal court at Versailles in 1682, he transformed what was once a hunting lodge into a palace that declared his wealth and power through its design. Until his death in 1715, he reigned with a spirit of excess and absolute political dominance. The “Sun King,” as he called himself, believed that France revolved around him as planets do the sun. Louis XIV adopted the sun as his emblem, decorating the grounds with symbols of the sun and Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. As he stated, “There is nothing that indicates more clearly the magnificence of great princes than their superb palaces and their precious furniture.” He was a child when he became king in 1643, only shaping his style after he became absolute monarch in 1661.
Reflecting trends in French Baroque art, Louis XIV furniture characteristics included exuberant decoration. There were gilded bronze details including shells, suns, grotesques, lions and classical references like acanthus leaves. The years of growth in the country’s manufacturing, such as the tapestries and cabinets made at Gobelins, led to design innovations. The commode replaced the chest as a storage device, with drawers and a surface that could double as a desk.
The materials were luxurious, such as the popular tortoiseshell veneer technique that leading cabinetmaker Pierre Golle used in his designs. André-Charles Boulle, who became royal cabinetmaker in 1672, was a masterful artist of marquetry, using inlays of ebony, exotic woods and mother-of-pearl.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIV bedroom furniture, chairs, tables and other pieces on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Silver
2010s Portuguese Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Foam, Wood, Down, Feathers, Silk
1980s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Leather, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass, Ormolu
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
1880s English Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Giltwood
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century British Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Leather, Wood
Late 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood, Corian
Mid-20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Giltwood, Glass
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Beech
1710s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century Turkish Louis XIV Furniture
Silk
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Porcelain
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1870s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Nutwood, Walnut, Giltwood, Lacquer
Late 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Crystal
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Canvas, Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Sterling Silver
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Kingwood
20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
1920s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Wrought Iron
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze, Wrought Iron
Early 1700s Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Canvas, Walnut, Paint
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Faux Leather, Walnut
Early 1700s Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone, Limestone
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Nutwood