Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Leather
Early 19th Century Southeast Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Pewter
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Egyptian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Canvas
Early 20th Century Spanish Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Silk
20th Century Asian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
1930s Asian Vintage Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metallic Thread
1880s Syrian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Ebony, Walnut
19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Brass, Iron
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet
Late 20th Century Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Velvet
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl, Shell, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Copper
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Abalone, Fruitwood, Shell
Mid-20th Century Spanish Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Shell, Fruitwood
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Turkish Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Ceramic
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Silk, Damask, Fabric
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass, Copper
20th Century Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Enamel
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Copper
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Shell, Fruitwood, Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Abalone, Shell, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Shell, Fruitwood
19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Fabric
19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Brass, Copper
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Copper
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metallic Thread
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Gold, Metallic Thread
Late 19th Century Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Shell, Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Copper
Early 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Silver, Brass, Copper
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Copper
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Asian Art and Furniture
Metal, Brass