The style commonly referred to as “Louis XVI style” was born of the encounter between a movement denouncing the excessive aspects of the rocaille style (or Louis XV style) and a renewed interest in the Greco-Roman world.

From the late 1750s onwards, artists renewed their sources of inspiration, giving antique models an ever-greater role, to the point of near-exclusivity on the eve of the 1789 Revolution. Affecting all art forms, this artistic shift was particularly noticeable in the complementary fields of interior decoration and the decorative arts. Ornamentalists, cabinet-makers, woodworkers, silversmiths, sculptors, bronze manufacturers, porcelain, silk and tapestry manufacturers – all adhered to this movement.

Through a series of illustrations, this book presents the different phases and expressions of this style.

Coedition : éditions In fine, 2024 – château de Versailles
Publication: April 17, 2024
Number of pages: 128 pages
Dimensions : 19,5 x 25 cm

French