Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Antique Louis XIII furniture is not as lavish as that of his son Louis XIV, who transformed his father’s modest Versailles hunting lodge into a sumptuous palace. Yet the imposing forms of its chairs, dressers, tables and other pieces express grandeur and luxury.
When Henry IV was assassinated in the streets of Paris in 1610, his young son became the king of France. With Louis XIII too young to rule, the widowed Marie de' Medici — a native of Italy and member of the prominent House of Medici — became regent, instilling an Italian influence in the decorative arts. Even after Louis XIII exiled his mother and took power in 1617, this aesthetic informed his court style. As did the consolidation of power, established with his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, through his death in 1643.
From sturdy chests and tall cupboards to colossal four-poster beds, almost every piece of Louis XIII furniture was heavily carved or turned from dark-toned wood. Motifs of the period included scrollwork, foliage, fruits, grotesque masks and other images of abundance, often inlaid in marquetry of wood or tortoiseshell. Ornamental scenes, sometimes carved on cabinet panels and other pieces from rare ebony, oak or walnut, were borrowed from engravings by northern European masters like Peter Paul Rubens. Engravings also spread the Louis XIII style during the 17th century, particularly by printmaker Abraham Bosse, who depicted the popular Louis XIII chairs designed with upholstered seats and low, wide backs.
The lofty profiles of the French furniture complemented the architecture under the reign of Louis XIII, such as the Palais du Luxembourg by chief architect Salomon de Brosse and architect Jacques Lemercier’s chapel at the Sorbonne, which showcased the influence of Italian Baroque.
Find a collection of antique Louis XIII armchairs, storage cabinets, decorative objects and other items on 1stDibs.
17th Century Spanish Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Canvas
19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Canvas
Early 1800s European Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Canvas
17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Silver
Early 17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Ebony
Mid-17th Century Dutch Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Crayon
17th Century Dutch Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Canvas
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Bronze
17th Century Belgian Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wool
19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paint
Late 18th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Oak, Tapestry
17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paper
17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paper
17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paper
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paint
18th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wool
Early 20th Century Dutch Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Copper
19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Canvas, Paint
20th Century American Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Canvas
1910s French Vintage Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wool
19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wood
1960s German Vintage Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wood
1980s American Vintage Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Composition
17th Century Spanish Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Bronze, Other
1980s Italian Vintage Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wood
1920s French Vintage Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wool
1920s French Vintage Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Wool
17th Century European Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paper
17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paper
17th Century European Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paper
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Pewter
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Tapestry, Walnut
17th Century French Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Oak
18th Century Antique Louis XIII Wall Decorations
Paint