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.
1960s European Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Carrara Marble, Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Sterling Silver, Enamel, Gold
1960s Italian Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Cane, Wood
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Gold Leaf
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Hardwood, Upholstery
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Ultrasuede, Wood
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Cane, Wood
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Linen, Wood
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Wood, Giltwood, Glass
1980s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Ash, Burl, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Louis XIV Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1980s Italian Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Louis XIV Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Early 1900s English Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Enamel, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century Unknown Louis XIV Furniture
Sterling Silver
1980s American Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
1960s Italian Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Siena Marble, Bronze
1960s British Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Stone
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Giltwood
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Elm, Fabric, Upholstery
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Walnut
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Composition
1960s American Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany, Walnut
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Bronze
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Cane
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Furniture
Silver Leaf