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.
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Wrought Iron
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone, Limestone
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Cane, Wood
1710s Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
1710s Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
1920s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
Late 19th Century European Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ebony
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1970s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Metal
1890s Spanish Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
1850s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
2010s Italian Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Tapestry, Giltwood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Glass, Oak
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
2010s American Louis XIV Furniture
Cotton, Linen, Silk
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wrought Iron
1920s American Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Sterling Silver
1950s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Ebony, Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Carrara Marble
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Rock Crystal, Ormolu
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Paint, Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wool, Giltwood
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Fabric
1730s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Other
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Leather, Oak
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mohair, Oak
1950s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Metal, Iron
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone, Limestone
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze