French-antiques

Louis XIV

Louis XIV style objects and furniture

The Louis XIV style (1661-1700) is lavish  comprising objects in solid silver and furniture in gilt and lacqueur.  Precious materials are used such as lapis lazuli, agate, marble, ivory.  Andre Charles Boulle invents his "Boulle marquetry" using tortoise shell, copper and brass. It is the period of great cabinet makers: Pierre Gole, Domenico Cucci,Andre Charles Boulle, Alexandre-Jean Oppenordt, Jean Berrain etc.   The decoration, influenced by mythology,  is symetric with a wide use of gilt bronze.   The chest of drawers is invented  during this period.




Furniture created under Louis XIV

The  chest of drawers, which replaced the earlier chest
The desk , evolution of the cabinet

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