Neoclassical Antiquities
Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.
Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.
The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.
Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.
Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.
Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.
Early 1900s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver, Bronze
1850s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Bronze
1730s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
1750s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
1890s Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
1740s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
1760s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
20th Century North American Neoclassical Antiquities
Wire
17th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Copper
20th Century American Neoclassical Antiquities
Iron
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Metal, Bronze
19th Century Mexican Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Wood
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Other
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Other
Early 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Limestone
Early 20th Century Austrian Neoclassical Antiquities
Bronze
1960s English Vintage Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Bronze, Enamel
20th Century Neoclassical Antiquities
Metal
15th Century and Earlier Peruvian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Copper
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Ceramic
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Bronze
Early 1900s Italian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Wrought Iron
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Beech
20th Century English Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
Early 20th Century Belgian Neoclassical Antiquities
Wood
1640s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
17th Century Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Silver
20th Century American Neoclassical Antiquities
Brass
1930s American Vintage Neoclassical Antiquities
Steel
Early 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Metal, Tin
1890s American Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Metal
1890s American Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Metal
Early 1900s British Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Nickel, Iron
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Antiquities
Maple