Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
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.
Late 17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Kingwood, Glass
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood, Walnut
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Bronze
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Bronze, Iron
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Paint
1680s Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Wood, Oak
1820s Dutch Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
1870s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1830s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Steel
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Iron
Early 18th Century Belgian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
18th Century Belgian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Cherry, Oak, Poplar
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Bronze
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
17th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
1820s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
19th Century English Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Mahogany
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
Early 1800s Austrian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Fir
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Mirror, Pine, Beech
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Ceramic, Oak
1890s Dutch Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
1890s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 1700s French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
1960s French Vintage Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Ceramic, Oak
1710s Spanish Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Iron
Early 20th Century Belgian Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Poplar
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
Early 1700s Spanish Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Mid-18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Oak
17th Century Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Brass
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wardrobes and Armoires
Poplar