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.
1980s English Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
1950s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
19th Century Unknown Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass, Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary British Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Mid-18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Oak, Paint
Late 19th Century Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Cotton
1850s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Carrara Marble
1990s American Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Giltwood
18th Century European Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Nutwood
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone, Limestone
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
Late 17th Century Spanish Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Brass, Ormolu, Bronze
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Beech
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 1700s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Late 17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wool
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze, Iron, Metal
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Late 17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1890s Belgian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
18th Century Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mahogany
Late 20th Century American Louis XIV Furniture
Paint
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Tulipwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Steel
1720s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
18th Century Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
20th Century European Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Gesso
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
1890s Spanish Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
1840s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
1850s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Breccia Marble, Wrought Iron, Iron
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Glass, Mirror, Giltwood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Steel
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone, Limestone
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Metal, Bronze, Tin
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Plaster, Wood, Paint
Late 17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Sandstone
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass, Iron
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Porcelain





