Ginette Raoult

The decadence of the Baroque style, in which ornate furnishings were layered against paneled walls, painted ceilings, stately chandeliers and, above all, gilding, expressed the power of the church and monarchy through design that celebrated excess. And its influence was omnipresent — antique Baroque furniture was created in the first design style that truly had a global impact.

Theatrical and lavish, Baroque was prevalent across Europe from the 17th to mid-18th century and spread around the world through colonialism, including in Asia, Africa and the Americas. While Baroque originated in Italy and achieved some of its most fantastic forms in the late-period Roman Baroque, it was adapted to meet the tastes and materials in each region. French Baroque furniture informed Louis XIV style and added drama to Versailles. In Spain, the Baroque movement influenced the elaborate Churrigueresque style in which architecture was dripping with ornamental details. In South German Baroque, furniture was made with bold geometric patterns.

Compared to Renaissance furniture, which was more subdued in its proportions, Baroque furniture was extravagant in all aspects, from its shape to its materials.

Allegorical and mythical figures were often sculpted in the wood, along with motifs like scrolling floral forms and acanthus leaves that gave the impression of tangles of dense foliage. Novel techniques and materials such as marquetry, gesso and lacquer — which were used with exotic woods and were employed by cabinetmakers such as André-Charles Boulle, Gerrit Jensen and James Moore — reflected the growth of international trade. Baroque furniture characteristics include a range of decorative elements — a single furnishing could feature everything from carved gilded wood to gilt bronze, lending chairs, mirrors, console tables and other pieces a sense of motion.

Find a collection of authentic antique Baroque tables, lighting, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Antique and vintage gueridons add beautiful form as well as function to any room. A small table originally designed in 17th-century France to hold candlesticks and other decorative objects, gueridons are usually round and supported by ornate legs, columns or carved figures.  

French Empire-style gueridons or Greco-Roman-inspired tables can be used as end tables for holding beverages in a living room or boudoir tables to place favorite books or a table lamp. Alternatively, a mid-century modern gueridon could find a home as a console table in a foyer as a receptacle for house keys and personal items when you come home, while an Art Deco gueridon could be the center of attention in a study. The possibilities of these versatile pieces are endless.  

Browse 1stDibs for Italian modernist gueridons and older antique gueridons that would fit well in a contemporary Manhattan apartment. Whether antique, vintage or modern, gueridons and other kinds of accent tables make a statement.