Neoclassical Seating
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.
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Seating
Wood
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Seating
Fabric, Walnut
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Seating
Bronze
2010s Italian Neoclassical Seating
Silver Leaf, Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Seating
Leather, Mahogany
1970s Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Bronze, Steel
20th Century American Neoclassical Seating
Wood, Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Seating
Leather, Textile
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Teak
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Seating
Oak
2010s Italian Neoclassical Seating
Silver Leaf, Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Seating
Metal
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Wood
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Seating
Upholstery, Wood
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Seating
Fabric, Wood
1940s Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Seating
Ormolu
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Seating
Gold Leaf
Mid-19th Century Antique Neoclassical Seating
Upholstery, Chestnut, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Seating
Chenille
1940s Japanese Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Seating
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Seating
Wrought Iron, Brass, Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Seating
Velvet, Wood, Giltwood
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Wood
2010s Indonesian Neoclassical Seating
Rattan
1810s German Antique Neoclassical Seating
Cherry, Maple
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Chrome
1980s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Beech
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Seating
Brass
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Metal
20th Century American Neoclassical Seating
Aluminum
Early 19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Seating
Cherry
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Seating
Hardwood
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Wicker
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Seating
Wood
1950s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Upholstery, Birch, Fabric
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Seating
Upholstery, Wood
Early 2000s Italian Neoclassical Seating
Leather
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Seating
Cane, Hardwood, Paint
20th Century French Neoclassical Seating
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Seating
Wood
1810s German Antique Neoclassical Seating
Cherry
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Seating
Fabric, Walnut
Early 1900s Italian Antique Neoclassical Seating
Walnut
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Seating
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Seating
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Seating
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Seating
Textile, Upholstery, Walnut
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Seating
Iron, Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Seating
Fabric, Wood
1940s Vintage Neoclassical Seating
Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Neoclassical Seating
Fabric, Wood
1790s Italian Antique Neoclassical Seating
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Seating
Gold Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Seating
Brass