Louis XVI furniture
Louis XVI furniture was marked by the neo-classical movement which was already influencing furniture design and decoration at the end of Louis XV's reign. The discovery of the Roman archaeological sites at Herculaneum and Pompeii introduced the pure and harmonious lines of ancient classical art into the tastes of the period. Made up of solid, sober and simple forms, Louis XVI furniture was ideal for a refined society. Ornamentation becomes spare and geometric, favouring marquetry.
The most representative ébénistes of the period are: Riesener, Benemann, Georges Jacob, Weisweiler, Saunier.
