Beaux Arts furniture included chairs replicating models from the Renaissance and sofas inspired by Louis XIV. These pieces filled high-ceilinged rooms that featured tapestries fit for a medieval castle and were illuminated by crystal chandeliers reminiscent of those in European palaces. Leon Marcotte Company created furnishings for the White House mimicking the style of Louis XVI, while in France, cabinetmaker Louis Majorelle reproduced 18th-century pieces that would influence his later Art Nouveau style.

Students at the École des Beaux-Arts in 19th-century Paris meticulously sketched Roman and Greek art and architecture as part of a curriculum that elevated the classical world. This reverence for history informed the architecture and design being constructed in the French capital and beyond, where columns and pediments were joined with elements referencing the Renaissance and Baroque eras, culminating in grand civic buildings such as the Palais Garnier opera house constructed under Napoleon III.

Beaux Arts style, also known as Classical Eclecticism for its flamboyant mixing of influences, made its way to the United States in the late 19th century through American architects who studied in Paris, like Richard Morris Hunt and Charles Follen McKim. They designed monumental turn-of-the-century buildings like train stations, libraries, museums and mansions that featured soaring entry halls and grand stairways with nearly every surface embellished, from mosaic floors to stained-glass ceilings. The luxurious interiors of these Beaux Arts buildings, which weren’t crowded with objects as in the Victorian era, matched this spirit of opulence and embraced the past.

Find a collection of Beaux Arts decorative objects, lighting, wall decorations and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Statues for You

Antique, new and vintage statues can bring depth and distinctive charm to your home’s interiors or your meticulously maintained outdoor garden area.

Introduce an assortment of textures and colors as well as a refreshing air of drama by decorating with stoic sculptural works in any living room, dining room or bedroom, no matter the size or shape of the statues you choose. You don’t have to haul a 19th-century life-size hand-carved work of Italian Carrara marble into your hallway unless, of course, that is the kind of decorative touch that your interior would benefit from. A large sculpture bust placed in your happy home office or positioned as a centerpiece on a table with other decorative objects in your foyer, for example, can prove welcoming to guests and invite rich conversation about your interests.

For a sculpture, an outdoor setting on a lawn or in a garden can open up a whole new world of beauty and meaning. While traditional stone cherub figures can promise tranquility, you can heighten the ogs/the-study/outdoor-dining-spaces/ target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">experience of outdoor family meals or garden parties with provocative statues to help frame the dining area in your yard. Lend an air of permanence to the perimeter of your garden with a pair of bronze lion statues or use abstract works of metal to contrast the clean, geometric lines of your manicured shrubbery and thoughtful landscape design.

We know that your garden is an invaluable retreat for when you need some relaxation and that introducing art to your home’s interiors has innumerable benefits. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of antique, new and vintage statues for all of your decorating needs.