Reflecting the final era of royal opulence before the upheaval of the French Revolution, antique Louis XVI furniture features more angular shapes than the Rococo curves of the Louis XV style, harkening back to the imposing grandeur of Louis XIV.
Dating between 1750 and 1800, an era that overlapped with the last king of France whose reign was cut short by the guillotine, Louis XVI furniture, known as the goût grec, is emblematic of the neoclassical revision that French furniture underwent during the second half of the 18th century.
Authentic Louis XVI furniture characteristics include clean lines and carved details such as scrolls and acanthus flourishes that were inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. This was informed by a burgeoning interest in antiquity in the 18th century, owing to new archaeological excavations at sites including Pompeii and Herculaneum. It largely eclipsed the more East Asian–influenced ornamentation of Louis XV for something more geometric and symmetrical.
The Louis XVI style was defined by what was being created for the palatial rooms at Versailles and Fontainebleau, particularly for the queen, with cabinetmaker Jean-Henri Riesener being a favorite of Marie-Antoinette’s for his luxurious pieces accented with gilded bronze and marquetry. Furniture maker Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené was also a major designer of the period, with his pieces for the royal residences adorned with giltwood and neoclassical touches like tapered columns for chair legs and laurel leaf carvings. Cabinetmaker Adam Weisweiler occasionally incorporated into his furniture porcelain panels produced by Sèvres, a popular manufacturer of European ceramics that served the crown with serveware, vases and other decorative objects.
Find a collection of antique Louis XVI seating, tables, cabinets and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 19th-Century French Louis XVI-Revival Ormolu Porcelain Ornamental Guéridon
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in Chicago, IL
French Louis XVI Revival ormolu (fire gilt, mercury-gilt bronze) and Sèvres style porcelain guéridon, made in France c.1890–1910 and retailed by Spaulding & Co., Chicago. Designe...
Bronze
Pair of Antique French Patinated Bronze Winged Putti Seated on Fluted Plinths
Located in New York, NY
A Fabulous Pair of Antique French mid 1800s Louis XVI Style Patinated Bronze Putti Seated on Fluted Plinths. Each putti is seen seated with their arms an...
Bronze
A louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted Chinese blue gilt porcelain pot-pourri
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A monumental and exceptional louis XVI gilt -bronze mounted Chinese porcelain blue and gilt porcelain covered pot-pourri , decorated with an openwork laurel garland with a pine fin...
Bronze
Pair of French Late 18th century Louis XVI Ormolu Candlesticks
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
A very fine pair of Louis XVI period candlesticks of unusual form. Each with an ovoid white marble body issuing a floral spray with a flower head nozzle, supported by three curved mo...
Marble, Bronze
18th Century French Louis XVI Pair of Ormolu Candelabra Palais Royal
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
18th Century French Louis XVI Pair of Ormolu Candelabra Palais Royal Beautiful pair purchased in France. Age appropriate wear, see detailed photos or message us with questions.
Ormolu
$3,330Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 11.82 in Dm 5.63 in
Pair of Louis XVI gilt bronze - ormolu candlesticks - 19th century - 11" 3/4
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
Antique French pair of candlesticks, beautiful finely chiseled ormolu (solid bronze gilt with fine gold) Louis XVI style pattern. Our model is richly ornamented with pearls, gadroons...
Bronze, Ormolu
Louis XVI Gilt and Patinated Bronze Bust of Ajax
Located in Kittery Point, ME
After the antique, his helmet decorated with centaurs and panthers. In Homer’s Illiad, he is described as a hero of colossal frame who was trained by the...
Bronze
$389,244
H 52.37 in W 35.83 in D 24.41 in
Gilt Bronze and Sèvres Style Porcelain Louis XVI Style Casket on Stand
Located in London, GB
Gilt bronze and Sèvres style porcelain Louis XVI style casket on stand This magnificent Louis XVI style ormolu casket is supported by a mirror-topped table stand, which sits on four tapered, fluted legs connected by a curving X-form stretcher. In the centre of this stretcher is an ormolu urn decorated with rams heads, four hoof feet and birds on the top. The legs of the table are also ornately decorated with draped garlands and scrolled detailing. The apron is inset with Sèvres style porcelain plaques depicting scenes of cherubs and children in landscapes as well as decorative floral detailing, and is surmounted with laurel leaf mounts. The casket itself is of oval architectural form, and is set on fourteen small feet. It features further porcelain plaques depicting cherubs, musical instruments and a central oval portrait of Queen Marie Antoinette within a crowned gilt cartouche. Her portrait is flanked by two cherubs and is sat within a decorative royal blue border, matching the turquoise colored borders of the other plaques. The reverse of the casket is similarly decorated and features a painted plaque of her husband King Louis XVI. The plaques are separated by mounted ormolu columns decorated with crowns and draped laurel leaves, and each column is surmounted by floral crowns. Each curved side of the casket features an ormolu mask of a female figure, and the hinged lid is surmounted by two reclining female figures wearing draped dresses and holding a central crown. The casket opens at the lid to reveal a velvet interior. There is an inscription below the portrait of Marie Antoinette which spuriously reads ‘This casket formerly property of Marie Antoinette, presented to my beloved wife as souvenir of our European tour / Sept 8th 1886 / Louis L...
Ormolu
Late 18th Century Louis XVI Carrara Marble Candlesticks
Located in Ljungby, SE
A pair of French Louis XVI candlesticks from the late 18th century. The stems and bases are made of white Carrara marble, while the fittings are burnished gilded bronze. The base is ...
Carrara Marble, Bronze
$26,800 / set
H 14 in W 8 in D 8 in
Pr Louis XVI French Dore Bronze Mounted Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Potpourri
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic Pair of 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Dore Bronze Mounted Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Potpourris. Each dark blue ground porcelain body is beautifully hand-enamel...
Bronze
$2,250
H 13.75 in W 10.5 in D 5 in
Fine French Louis XV Rocaille Style Sevres Porcelain Gilt Bronze Ormolu Clock
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning fine quality Napoleon III Second Empire Period (1852-1870) doré bronze (gilt bronze ormolu) shelf clock with signed Japy Freres eight-day time and strike movement. Born in Paris, France in the third quarter of the 19th century, exceptionally executed in luxurious 18th century Louis XV Rocaille taste, the curvacious sculptural case...
Bronze
Pair Of Carved Griffins On Plinths
Located in Kent, Dover
A pair of English carved fruitwood griffins, on plinths.
Fruitwood
$1,850
H 6.3 in W 4.5 in D 3.5 in
French Louis XVI Style Porcelain Vase Faux Porphyry Glaze Gilt Bronze Mounts
Located in Stamford, CT
Porcelain vase with a glaze meant to imitate the sought after stone Egyptian porphyry, with bronze dore mounts. French circa 1890. Wonderful small vase with a lot of presence. The ey...
Bronze
$28,544 / set
H 18.31 in W 10.63 in D 5.52 in
Pair of Late 18th Century Louis XVI Ormolu and White Marble Candelabra
Located in Worpswede / Bremen, DE
A fine pair of Louis XVI white marble and gilt bronze candelabra in the form of atheniennes. The rams-headed tripod has a snake entwined through the stem, the central ovoid form whit...
Marble, Ormolu
18th Century French Palais Royal Perfume Bottle
Located in Dallas, TX
PRESENTING AN ABSOLUTELY STUNNING Perfume/Scent Bottle from the 18th Century, namely an 18C French Palais Royal Perfume Bottle. . Either French o...
Tourmaline, Gold
Art Deco Style Pair Of Bronze Panther Sculptures On A Plinth Base
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A well cast Pair of striding Bronze Painters with one taking a playful swipe at the lead Panther's rear leg. With beautifully defined musculature as well as capturing the grace and s...
Bronze
$16,300 / set
H 16.75 in W 6.25 in D 4.75 in
Pair of French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Ormolu Statues
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An outstanding pair of French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu statues. Each statue is raised by an elegant mottled base with fine rounded borders. The beautiful maidens above are e...
Ormolu
19th Century French Bronze Boy Head Sculpture in Louis XVI Style
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century French bronze head of a boy mounted on an iron base. It is a great accent for a side table or bookshelf.
Bronze
Antique French Base for Statue
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
Rare antique base for statue: useful and very elegant. I'm selling it now because I'm closing the business. Sizes fot statue: cm. 33 on base x depth cm. 12/14 . ref. item O/8087.
Fruitwood
Pair of 19th Century French Gilt Bronze Mounts on Custom Stands
Located in Chicago, IL
These stunning 19th century French gilt bronze furniture mounts, now elegantly displayed on custom steel stands, feature intricate laurel ...
Bronze
Ostrich Egg on Louis XVI Style Brass Stand
Located in Astoria, NY
Ostrich egg upon a Louis XVI style brass stand with foliate motif. Dimensions: 8.25" H x 4.5" diameter. Dealer: S138XX.
Brass
Pair of Louis XVI Style Gilt-Bronze and Marble Cassolettes
Located in Tarry Town, NY
Mid 19th century pair of Louis XVI style gilt bronze mounted and ormulu Cassolettes / decorative urns. Each casollette featuring a covered embellisment foliate garlands, berried fini...
Marble, Bronze
18th Century French Bronze Lion on a Rouge Antico Marble Base
Located in Stamford, CT
18th century bronze striding lion mounted on a rouge antico marble base. Lion shown growling with tail whipping. Provenance: Roger Pringet.
Marble, Bronze
Set of Pan Scale Weights from the Late 1660s-Early 1700s
Located in Milano, IT
Precious bronze scale weights, the set consists of 8 pieces in the shape of a tray. The main weight acts as a container with detailed decorations at the top, the lid has a perfectly ...
Bronze
French 19th Century Pair of Bronze Musicians Putti
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A French 19th century pair of bronze musicians Putti Patinated bronze on ormolu base Louis XVI style circa 1880.
Ormolu, Bronze
Sold
H 17.72 in Dm 7.49 in
Late 18th Century Carved Faun with a Crystal Stone and a Brass Base with Lions
Located in Berlin, DE
This very rare and beautiful carved late 18th century Faun sculpture carry a crystal stone on his shoulder. The face and the body are very good carved a...
Crystal, Brass
French 19th Century Marble and Ormolu Clock after Falconnet
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A French 19th century marble and ormolu clock The Carrare marble case surmounted by a bronze sculpture after Etienne Maurice Falconnet, "Vénus à la Colombe" Painted porcelain dial ...
Carrara Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Pair of French Richly Carved circa 1790 Corinthian Capitals
Located in Jesteburg, DE
A pair of French richly carved, circa 1790 Corinthian capitals. Beautiful details and excellent condition of the gilding. Louis XVI, France, circa 1790. Place these on top of sim...
Giltwood
Pair of Gilt Bronze and Marble Cassolettes from France, circa 1860
Located in Dallas, TX
These elegant antique marble French Cassolettes have been adorned with beautifully chased gilt bronze ornamentation. From the pine cone tops to the s...
Marble, Bronze