The style of Louis XIV - the king of the sun - occupies the period of the formation of French classicism from the late Renaissance to the standard examples of style. Three stages are considered.
Early - the youth of the king (1643-1660) and the regency of Anne of Austria. The architecture is influenced by the Baroque style imported from Italy. During the second period (1660-1690), the style of architecture and decorative arts became more classical, triumphant and ostentatious, which was reflected in the construction of the Palace of Versailles, the work of Louis Le Vau, and Jules Ardouin-Mansart. Until 1680, the furniture was massive, decorated with many sculptures and gilding. In a later period, thanks to the development of the craft of marquetry, furniture was decorated with different colors and different types of wood. The most prominent furniture maker of the later period was André Charles Boulle. The last period in the style of Louis XIV, from about 1690 to 1715, is called the transition period; he was influenced by Arduin-Mansar. The new style was lighter in form and featured more imagination and freedom of lines, thanks in part to the use of bronze décor and the increased use of Arabic, the grotesques that remain in the Louis XV style.
The main architects of the era of the king of the sun were François Mansart, Jules Hardouin Mansart, Robert de Cott, Pierre Le Mu, Charles Perroy, Louis Le Vau. Major monuments include the Palace of Versailles, the Grand Trianon at Versailles, and the Church of the Invalides (1675–91) and the east wing of the Louvre.