Louis XIV Side Chairs
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.
21st Century and Contemporary American Louis XIV Side Chairs
Brass
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Iron
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Iron
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Wood, Cane
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Hardwood, Upholstery
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XIV Side Chairs
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Gold Leaf
1960s Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century European Louis XIV Side Chairs
Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Velvet
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Gold Leaf
2010s French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Leather, Upholstery, Beech
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Velvet, Giltwood
2010s European Louis XIV Side Chairs
Steel
1950s French Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Upholstery, Paint, Beech
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Steel
1970s American Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Textile, Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Tapestry, Beech
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Steel
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Wood
20th Century Italian Louis XIV Side Chairs
Fabric, Wood
2010s French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Leather, Upholstery, Beech
1970s Italian Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Fabric, Wood, Beech
18th Century European Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Tapestry, Oak
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Side Chairs
Velvet, Fabric, Wood, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1870s Italian Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Tapestry, Upholstery, Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Fabric, Oak
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Walnut
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Side Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1860s French Antique Louis XIV Side Chairs
Wood