Neoclassical Furniture
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.
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
1890s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1850s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bone, Ebony, Mahogany
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1790s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Textile, Upholstery, Walnut
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
1990s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Pewter
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta, Paint
1890s English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Boxwood
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Granite
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Steel, Iron
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Paint
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood
1920s Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Paint, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1930s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1970s European Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Delft, Faience
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Pine
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Paint
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Stone, Concrete
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1930s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Pine
Early 20th Century Belgian Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster
1980s Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Iron, Gold Leaf
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Murano Glass
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1950s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Cut Glass, Murano Glass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Griotte Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
Late 19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Silver
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta
Late 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Ormolu, Bronze
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1950s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Beech
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Gold Leaf
1790s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood