Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
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.
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
17th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Silver, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Iron
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze, Ormolu
1920s French Vintage Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Wood
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
Late 20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Crystal, Bronze
2010s Italian Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Rock Crystal, Crystal, Bronze
Late 20th Century American Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
1920s French Vintage Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Giltwood
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
1880s French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
18th Century Italian Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Silver Leaf
Late 19th Century American Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Iron
Early 20th Century Italian Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Metal, Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
2010s Italian Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Crystal, Bronze, Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Rock Crystal, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
20th Century Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
20th Century Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Ormolu
20th Century French Louis XIV Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass