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.
C19th French Walnut Cameo Plaque Chest
Located in Dereham, GB
C19th French Walnut Cameo Plaque Chest Shaped Figured Walnut top with cross banding, 2 shaped front drawers, Handles with inset oval Cameo porcelain Plaques Ormolu Gilt Bronze Fra...
Ormolu
17th Century French Louis XIV Period Provincial Walnut Commode
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
Exceptional Mid-17th Century French Provincial Walnut Chest of Drawers *Louis XIV Period – Uzès, France, circa 1650* An outstanding and very rare mid-17th century French Louis XIV...
Brass
17th Century Italian of the Period Louis XIV Antique Commode or Chest of Drawers
Located in Casale Monferrato, IT
Important and rare antique Italian of the period Louis XIV chest of drawers, 1680. On the front four large and useful drawers. Characterized by front of the drawers with rustic decor...
Walnut
$4,100 / item
18th Century French Walnut Louis XIV Commode
Located in Carmine, TX
Louis XIV commode band-made in Southern France in the mid 1700s using walnut and pegged constructions. The commode has beautiful color, patina, and character. The commode features th...
Walnut
Mazarine Chest Of Drawers / Commode From The Beginning Of The 18th Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Superb Louis XIV period Mazarine chest of drawers in thuya burl, rosewood, boxwood and walnut veneer It opens with four drawers on four rows with crosspieces museum quality piece fro...
Walnut
French Style Louis XIV Painted Chest
Located in New York, NY
French style Louis XIV painted chest. The chest has a total of six pull out drawers, original brass hardware and nicely painted. Can also be us...
Brass
18th Century Louis XIV French Buffet with Original Hardware
Located in Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Louis XIV chest of drawers from the 18th century with doors opening from two leaves. The crossbow shaped facade simulates drawers. This piece features interesting moulding to the fro...
Wood
Italian 18th Century Louis XIV Period Walnut Inlaid Bombée Commode
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very impressive Italian 18th century Louis XIV period walnut inlaid bombée commode. The commode is raised on curved legs with elaborately scrolled frieze with bone inlay. Above are...
Walnut
Pair French Louis Bedside Lamp Chests
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A very nice pair of French cream painted Louis XIV bedside lamp chests of drawers, with ormolu mounts and handles, wonderful marble tops, oak linings, in excellent overall condition...
Paint
Louis Seize Chest of Drawers Made In Mahogany With Inlaid Wood From 1790s
Located in Lejre, DK
The Louis Seize chest of drawers, crafted from mahogany and adorned with exquisite inlaid wood detailing, is a remarkable antique piece from the 1790s. This elegant chest showcases t...
Mahogany
Fine Louise Seize Chest of Drawers Made In Elm Wood from 1780s
Located in Lejre, DK
A small and exquisite Louise Seize chest of drawers crafted from elm wood, originating from Copenhagen and dating back to the late 1780s. This charming piece epitomizes the elegance ...
Elm
19th Century Louis XVI Style Bombe Commode
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality late 19th century marquetry inlaid kingwood commode, having its original marble-top, two large drawers, ormolu mounts and handles and raised on out swept legs.
Kingwood
Vintage Swedish Painted Bombe Commode with Faux Marble Top
Located in Dallas, TX
Vintage Swedish painted bombe commode with faux marble top is a wonderful example of meticulous craftsmanship combined with an artistic hand-painted finish! From the four talon and b...
Pine
Early 19th Century French Louis XV Style Fruitwood Commode Chest of Drawers
Located in Dallas, TX
This elegant antique chest of drawers was crafted in the Poitou region of France, circa 1800. Built of fruitwood, the serpentine-front commode stands on short curved legs over a scal...
Bronze
Antique Country French Regence Walnut Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
Antique Country French Regence Walnut Commode was hand-crafted from the premier indigenous hardwood of Europe, sumptuous French walnut! The bev...
Bronze
Top Quality Pair French Bedside Lamp Chests of Drawers
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A very good pair of French marquetry three drawer bedside lamp chest of drawers, with ormolu mounts and handles, in excellent condition throughout. 28.5" high 14.5" wide 12" depth ...
Tulipwood
18th Century Country French Louis XIV Walnut Commode
Located in Dallas, TX
The Country French commode has long been admired for its ability to unite beauty, usefulness and a sense of gracious permanence. Inspired by the formal styles of the French court and...
Bronze
Louis XIV Chest of Drawers in Walnut and Briar, 1700
Located in Torino, IT
Louis XIV Chest of Drawers, Original Period in Wood and Walnut Burl With Ebonized Details. Three and a Half Drawers. Original Key, Locks and Hardware. Eighteenth Century Period: E...
Walnut
Cassone, Chest, Coffer, 17th Century, French, Louis XIV, Walnut
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
Lovely cassone with classical form, the beautiful figuring of the oak creates subtle, decorative patterning and the simple mouldings give a light, contemporary feel. The rich, lustr...
Walnut
Italian Early 18th Century Louis XIV Period Four-Drawer Walnut Chest
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A fabulous Italian early 18th century Louis XIV period four drawer walnut chest from the Piedmont region. The chest is raised by lightly scrolled carved legs. Each of the four drawer...
Walnut
French Louis XIV Commode Mazarine, Solid Walnut, Hand-Carved, 1690
Located in Miami, FL
Beautiful and rare French "Commode Mazarine" in solid walnut. Late 17th century. Louis XIV period. Three drawers, hand-carved. Bronze hardwares. ...
Bronze
Louis XIV Period Chest of Drawers in Solid Elm, 18th Century
Located in NAVILLY, FR
Louis XIV period chest of drawers in solid elm, restored. 1/ Disassembly - Cleaning of original bronze mounts - original locks, one key. 2/ Cleaning and waxing of the entire pi...
Elm
Louis XIV Period Chest of Drawers in Solid Walnut, 17th Century
Located in NAVILLY, FR
Louis XIV period commode in solid walnut and Jura brocatelle marble. Beautiful original condition. Additional information: Period: 17th century Style: Louis XIV - Regency Conditio...
Marble
Italian Early 18th Century Louis XIV Period Walnut, 2-Door and 2-Drawer Commode
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very handsome Italian early 18th century Louis XIV period walnut commode, from the Pietmont region. This two-door and two-drawer commode are raised on an ebonized fruitwood moulded...
Walnut
French Victorian Fruitwood and Parquetry Chest with Cupid Figures and Marble Top
Located in Queens, NY
French Victorian 20th century fruitwood and parquetry inlaid chest with a single front door and bronze trim with cupid figures and a beige marble top.
Fruitwood
Pair of Italian 18th Century Louis XIV St. Walnut Chests/Side Tables
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome and very unique pair of Italian 18th century Louis XIV st. Walnut chests/side tables from Tuscany. Each chest is raised by elegant block supports with fine scrolled designs. One chest displays four drawers each decorated with beautiful mottled recessed designs while the other displays an exceptional and most unique door...
Bronze
Good French Semanier Chest of Seven Drawers
Located in Swadlincote, GB
A good quality seven drawer French walnut semanier chest of drawers with ormolu handles, escution and toes, fabulous marble top. 57.5" hgh 25.5" wide 17" depth You are welcome to v...
Tulipwood
20th Century Antique Louis XIV Style Palisander Tulipwood Chest of Drawers
Located in Berlin, DE
Chasedt bronze are distinctive and of exceptionally good quality. High-right corpus. In the articulated front, there are two wide doors with an infill filled...
Wood
20th Century antique Louis XIV Style Palisander Tulipwood Cabinet bronzed
Located in Berlin, DE
Chasedt bronze are distinctive and of exceptionally good quality. High-right corpus. In the articulated front, there are two wide doors with an infill filled...
Wood
Ferrarese walnut console dresser, 18th century
Located in Vicenza, IT
Rare 18th-century Italian console chest of drawers from the Ferrara area.Strongly distinctive piece of furniture, with fir internal structure and walnut burl veneer with a marked and...
Nutwood
Louis XIV Regence Commode Painted Ox Blood Red
Located in Vista, CA
A rare Louis XIV/Regence commode newly painted in ox blood red, with three convex and concave scrolled molded panels with beveled molding and central brass pulls on the drawers, with...
Hardwood
20th Century Louis XIV Style Chest of Drawers / Sideboard
Located in Berlin, DE
20th century Louis XIV style chest of drawers / sideboard solid beech wood. The fittings are pronounced and of exceptionally good quality. (D-Sam-237).
Bronze