Louis XVI Furniture
Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Giltwood, Mirror
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Fabric, Fruitwood
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
1850s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Walnut
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Kingwood
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Marble
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Marble
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Canvas, Mirror, Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Tapestry, Hardwood
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Oak
Mid-19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wool, Fruitwood
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Stucco, Wood
1790s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Cherry
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
1880s European Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Fabric, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Crystal
1880s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century English Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Porcelain
Late 18th Century Belgian Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Mahogany
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Crystal
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Brass
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
1940s American Vintage Louis XVI Furniture
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1790s German Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1780s German Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Wood
20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Beech
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Late 20th Century Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Furniture
Fabric, Giltwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Ormolu
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Brass
1890s French Antique Louis XVI Furniture
Silk, Walnut