The Louis XV style

There are two distinct Louis XV styles. The first corresponds to a flourishing of the Baroque style that swept across Europe with its rococo motifs, shells, and light, majestic curves. The second emerged around 1750 when the Marquise de Pompadour decided to break with the ornate ornamentation in favor of straight lines. This represents a return to classical antiquity, which we call "Neoclassicism.".

B

Bergère: A bergère is a high-backed chair with arms and often a footrest, usually upholstered in velvet. Bergères were popular during the reign of Louis XV in France and were often decorated with carvings and gilding.

C

Cabriole: A cabriole is an S-shaped curve within a straight line, often used for the legs of furniture such as chairs, tables, and chests of drawers. The Louis XV style was known for its use of cabriole furniture legs.

Chest of drawers: A chest of drawers is a low storage unit with drawers, often decorated with carvings and gilding. Chests of drawers were popular during the Louis XV period in France. There are bombé chests, tomb-shaped chests , and even sauteuse chests, which were particularly prized during the reign of Louis XV.

Consoles: A console is a piece of furniture with a base supported by legs, sometimes just one in the case of a corner console, used to display decorative objects such as vases or statues. They are very often topped with a marble surface.

D

Gilding: Gilding is the process of covering an object with gold leaf, widely used to adorn furniture and decorations in the grand Louis XV style, continuing the Louis XIV style.

 

M

Marquetry Marquetry is a furniture decoration technique that involves creating a design in wood using, among other things, finely cut pieces of veneer. These ornaments, often geometric, cover the exterior surfaces of certain pieces of furniture. Marquetry made with hardstones and glass is called mosaic. Marquetry is most often a mosaic of different types of wood.
:

 

R

Rocaille: Rocaille is a style of exuberant and disordered ornamentation featuring sculptures of scrolls, foliage, shells, natural rocks, and mineral motifs inspired by the grottoes that were fashionable in 18th-century gardens. These contorted shells, naturally perforated stones, fragments of brick or rock, and petrified forms take on various decorative forms and are an integral part of the Louis XV style.

S

Cylinder desk: A desk with a cylinder that can be rotated to reveal drawers and hidden storage spaces. The cylinder desk originated in the 18th century during the reign of Louis XV. It was then known as a "panse" secretary. The cylinder desk became very popular and was later adapted by Riesener during the reign of Louis XVI for the private study in Marie Antoinette's small apartment at the Tuileries Palace.

T

Gaming table: A gaming table is a table designed for playing games such as backgammon or chess. Gaming tables were popular during the reign of Louis XV in France and were often decorated with carvings and marquetry.

Tapestry: This large-format weaving technique experienced a resurgence of interest under Louis XV with the advent of the Aubusson factory.