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.
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Giltwood
1930s Italian Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Mohair, Beech
Mid-20th Century German Louis XIV Furniture
Leather, Porcelain
1970s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Metal
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Late 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Mirror
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Textile, Sycamore
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Oak
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Kingwood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Gold Plate, Brass
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Synthetic, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
1920s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1980s American Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Concrete
Early 20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
20th Century European Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Porcelain
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century German Louis XIV Furniture
Porcelain
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XIV Furniture
Onyx, Bronze
1950s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1950s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
Early 20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Leather, Oak
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Cane, Wood
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Fabric
Mid-20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Iron
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Tulipwood
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Unknown Louis XIV Furniture
Porcelain
1930s American Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Wrought Iron
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Wrought Iron
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Hardwood, Upholstery
1980s European Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Brass