The style of 18th-century French furniture was guided by the court. When Louis XV, who reigned from 1715–74, focused royal life on the smaller salons of Versailles rather than its grand chambers, it transformed the aesthetics away from the imposing and angular furniture that characterized the style of Louis XIV. A broader focus on comfort and more delicate forms define antique Louis XV furniture, with nature-inspired carvings, wood inlays, curved cabriole legs, asymmetrical shapes and rounded oval seat backs. The furnishings changed throughout the king’s life, as he ascended to the throne as a child and then grew to establish his own tastes.
Pieces like the bergère, an upholstered armchair with a wide cushion that fit the flowing dresses in fashion at the time, reflected this more informal court. Introduced at the start of Louis XV’s reign, bergère chairs in this style were deeper and broader than other chairs of the period.
Louis XV tapestries and carpets tended to be floral and colorful, and design elements were borrowed from Asia. Dutch-born cabinetmaker Bernard van Risenburgh brought lacquer techniques influenced by Japan and China into his luxuriously made furniture. Along with its fine details, the furniture of the era also featured new innovations including mechanical devices. Jean François Oeben, a royal cabinetmaker, created such intricate pieces as a mechanical table for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress. It involved a sliding top and a writing surface that extended from its marquetry panels.
During the later years of Louis XV’s reign, there was a shift from the ostentatious rocaille style, part of the exuberantly decorative Rococo movement in Europe for which designers such as Nicolas Pineau and Juste-Aurèle Meissonier are known. The style under Louis XVI would return to boxier forms, but with a neoclassical touch inspired by the ancient world.
Find antique Louis XV bedroom furniture, seating, tables and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Louis XV Style Twenty-Light Chandelier by Baccarat
By Baccarat
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine Louis XV style gilt-bronze and cut-crystal twenty-light chandelier by La Compagnie des Cristalleries de Baccarat, French, Circa 1890.
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Gilt Metal and Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An outstanding French 19th century Louis XV st. gilt metal and crystal chandelier attributed to Maison Bagues. The six arm chandelier is centered by a beautiful solid crystal bottom ball below superb gilt metal acanthus leaves amidst a stunning array of cut crystal pendants and a fine wrap around beaded band. Each elegantly curved arm is adorned with kite shaped and tear drop shaped crystal pendants leading to charming floral bobeches. At the center are exceptional scrolled foliate designs and large acanthus leaves centering elegant curved support with stunning branches seeming growing upwards with lovely finely detailed frosted crystal leaves...
Crystal, Metal
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu and Crystal Twelve-Light Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fine French 19th century Louis XV st. ormolu and crystal twelve light chandelier. The chandelier is centered by an exceptional crystal fut with ormolu sprays and a lower crystal ball pendant. The ormolu arms are decorated with crystals pendants and crystal daggers. The top crown is adorned intricately beaded crystal supports, rosettes and tear shaped pendants...
Crystal, Ormolu
Louis XV Style Gilt Bronze and Cut Glass Twenty-Five Light Chandelier
Located in Benington, Herts
A wonderfully impressive large gilt bronze and cut glass lustre, twenty-five-light two-tier chandelier in the Louis XV style. French late 19th Century - Circa 1890-1900. Of Rococo design with tiers of glass lustres, the foliate cast corona supporting two graduated tiers of leaf cast scrolling candlebranches, issuing from a pierced leaf and lily-cast compound baluster stem, finishing with a pierced finial. In excellent condition having been recently cleaned, rewired and PAT tested, having the original gilt bronze ceiling...
Bronze
A small French 19th century Louis XV st. Ormolu and Crystal chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A small French 19th century Louis XV st. Ormolu and Crystal chandelier. The six arm chandelier displays a central fut decorated with foliage amidst a twisted ribbon. The fut...
Crystal, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely unique French 19th century Louis XV st. ormolu chandelier, signed by Vian and after a model by Jean-Jacques Caffieri. The nine arm chandelier is centered by ...
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Gilt Metal and Rock Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful French 19th century Louis XV st. gilt metal and rock crystal chandelier. The six arm chandelier is centered by a solid bottom crystal pendant below an elegant mottled lig...
Rock Crystal, Metal
French 20th Century Louis XV St. Gilt Metal And Baccarat Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A beautiful French turn of the century Louis XV st. gilt metal and Baccarat crystal chandelier. The eight arm chandelier is centered by a solid Baccarat crystal ball pendant amidst an exceptional array of tear drop and kite shaped pendants...
Crystal, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XVI Style Ormolu Four-Arm, Eight-Light Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and most elegant French 19th century Louis XVI st. ormolu four arm, eight light chandelier. The chandelier is centered by a fine ormolu foliate finial below the original s...
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Eight-Light Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning French 19th century Louis XV st. ormolu and Baccarat crystal eight light chandelier. A crystal ball hangs below the ormolu base with acanthus leaf design and inverted fini...
Crystal, Ormolu
Impressive Louis XV Style Gilt-Bronze and Cut-Crystal and Moulded-Glass Fifte
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
An impressive Louis XV style gilt-bronze and cut-crystal and moulded-glass fifteen-light chandelier. The corona with branches and three concealed bulbs. The cage frame issuing fifteen branches supporting baluster glass...
Bronze
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu, Rock Crystal And Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. Ormolu, Rock Crystal and Crystal chandelier. The nine arm open scrolled Ormolu cage has three main supporting arms with cut prisms and...
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu Chandelier Likely by Henry Vian
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely decorative French 19th century Louis XV st. ormolu chandelier after a model by Caffieri and attributed to Vian. The nine arm chandelier is centered by a stri...
Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Baccarat Crystal and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional French 19th century Louis XV st. Baccarat crystal and ormolu chandelier. The eight arm twelve light chandelier is centered by a beautiful cut crystal ball below the el...
Crystal, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV St. Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An impressive and high quality French 19th century Louis XV st. ormolu chandelier. The twenty arm chandelier is centered by a beautiful bottom acorn finial below wonderful foliate mo...
Ormolu
French Mid-19th Century Louis XV Style Baccarat Crystal and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most elegant French mid 19th century Louis XV st. Baccarat crystal and ormolu six arm chandelier. The chandelier has an open cage with a reeded crystal central fut. A the bottom ar...
Crystal, Ormolu
French 19th Century Louis XV Style Crystal and Ormolu Eight-Light Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and important French early 19th century Louis XV st. Baccarat crystal and ormolu eight light chandelier. The incredible Baccarat central fut is surrounded by scrolled ormo...
Crystal, Ormolu
Monumental Louis XV Style Cut-Glass Forty-Eight Light Chandelier, circa 1885
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A monumental Louis XV Style gilt bronze and cut-glass forty-eight light chandelier. French, circa 1885. The frame is variously stamped with numbers and 'JL'. This rare and...
Bronze