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.
1870s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Louis XIV Furniture
Cut Glass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Late 20th Century American Louis XIV Furniture
Leather, Fruitwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Metal, Copper
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Carrara Marble
20th Century Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Limestone
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Delft, Faience
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
1890s Belgian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Limestone
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Tapestry, Walnut
Mid-20th Century German Louis XIV Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Unknown Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Brass
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Steel
Early 18th Century Dutch Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Brass, Wrought Iron
Mid-17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1680s Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
1930s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century European Louis XIV Furniture
Gold
2010s English Louis XIV Furniture
Marble
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Bronze
17th Century Dutch Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wrought Iron
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Stone, Limestone
1680s Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wrought Iron, Bronze
1920s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Brass, Bronze
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marine turtle
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Pewter
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Giltwood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
20th Century Unknown Louis XIV Furniture
Hardwood, Lacquer
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Rosewood, Felt
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Silver
20th Century Egyptian Louis XIV Furniture
Ormolu
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wool, Silk
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze