Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
18th Century French Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Belgian Black Marble
Mid-18th Century French Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Canvas, Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Lacquer
Early 2000s American Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Leather, Wood, Paint
18th Century Unknown Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Marble
19th Century Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Glass, Giltwood
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Marble
Late 18th Century Chinese Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
1850s Chinese Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
20th Century Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
19th Century Chinese Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Silver Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
Early 18th Century Chinese Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Porcelain
Early 1800s Chinese Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Elm
21st Century and Contemporary Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
18th Century Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Marble, Breccia Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet, Walnut
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Bronze
1950s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Walnut
Late 19th Century American Antique Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Cherry
1940s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Beech
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
1920s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Walnut
1950s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
1950s French Vintage Louis XV Asian Art and Furniture
Marble, Bronze