Gustavian Settees
With clean lines and muted colors, antique Gustavian furniture is understated and elegant. It represents a more restrained version of the transition from Rococo to neoclassicism that was happening in France under Louis XVI. The style developed under Swedish King Gustav III, who reigned from 1771 until his assassination in 1792, and his son Gustav IV, who ruled until 1809. Although Gustavian furniture is mostly used to refer to pale painted cabinets, commodes, armchairs and other items, it involved a range of influences.
Gustavian-style furniture was inspired by discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as the grandeur of European palaces like Versailles, with local softwoods such as pine and birch. There was also an emphasis on natural light; crystal chandeliers and large mirrors played a role in radiating the fleeting daylight of winter, giving it a distinctive aesthetic.
Where earlier furniture was curvy and florid, this new era was more architectural, with tapered and fluted legs and rectangular and oval shapes. Luminous gilt contrasted with the palette of soft blues on upholstery and painted surfaces. Leading furniture builders included Gottlieb Iwersson, Louis Masreliez and Erik Öhrmark. The latter, a French-born Swedish decorator, designed the Sulla chair, a seat that was demonstrative of technical skill and precise craftsmanship and drew on Greek klismos chairs. Masreliez’s Sulla chair was made by Öhrmark and featured decorative ornamentation produced by Jean-Baptiste Masreliez, Louis’s younger brother.
While the wealthy had furniture carved with neoclassical details like scallops and rosettes, more affordable options were adorned with faux finishes that mimicked marble and stenciled patterns. The simple elegance of Gustavian furniture would have a long impact on Swedish design, informing the 20th-century appreciation for function and form. In the 1950s, IKEA mass-produced copies of a Gustavian commode designed by cabinetmaker Georg Haupt, who created pieces for the Royal Palace, making the furniture a fixture of everyday Swedish life.
Find a collection of antique Gustavian seating, tables, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Hardwood, Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Pine
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Hardwood, Pine
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Cane, Wood, Paint
Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Pine, Paint
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary American Gustavian Settees
Brass
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Metal
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Birch
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Upholstery, Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
1920s Swedish Vintage Gustavian Settees
Pine
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Birch
Mid-19th Century French Antique Gustavian Settees
Walnut, Silk
1880s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
20th Century American Gustavian Settees
Upholstery, Cane, Walnut
1820s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Pine
19th Century French Antique Gustavian Settees
Velvet, Cane, Wood
Late 20th Century American Gustavian Settees
Upholstery, Oak
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Paint, Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood, Paint
19th Century English Antique Gustavian Settees
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century American Antique Gustavian Settees
Upholstery, Poplar, Pine
Early 1800s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Pine, Paint
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Birch
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood
18th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood
Late 19th Century European Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
1820s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Pine, Fabric, Linen
19th Century Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Wood
Early 20th Century Swedish Gustavian Settees
Linen, Wood, Paint
1790s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Pine, Linen
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Gustavian Settees
Upholstery, Wood