Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Rococo was an aesthetic movement in the fine and decorative arts in the 18th century that found its inspiration in nature and fostered an overall lightness and delicacy of form, construction and ornament in interior design. Rococo furniture, while greatly influenced by trends in Italy and Germany, is often called Louis XV style — the movement having reached its best expression during that sybaritic French king’s reign.
The term “rococo” is thought to be a portmanteau of the French words rocaille and coquilles — “rock” and “shells” — organic motifs frequently used in architecture and design of the style.
When it comes to authentic Rococo furniture's characteristics, it is above all sensuous and social. The furniture of earlier eras in Europe had been heavy in every sense; the Rococo period saw the appearance of light-framed upholstered armchairs, side chairs and occasional tables that could easily be moved to form conversational circles.
The signal detail of Rococo furniture design is the gently curved cabriole, or S-shaped chair-, table-, and cabinet-leg. It imitates the bend of a tree limb or a flower stem. In a further reference to nature, furnishings were often asymmetrical and painted white, or in soft, pastel shades. Rococo has become a timeless style, and as the furniture pieces presented on 1stDibs demonstrate, its playful, sculptural forms can provide visual excitement to contemporary, clean-lined spaces.
Mid-18th Century Austrian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Giltwood
1790s Belgian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
Early 19th Century French Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Gesso, Giltwood
15th Century and Earlier Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Giltwood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Giltwood
18th Century American Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
19th Century French Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Marble
1750s French Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Terracotta
Late 19th Century French Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century Canadian Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Soapstone
1880s American Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Fur
20th Century American Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Paint
1890s Central Asian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
1890s French Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
Mid-19th Century French Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Stone
Mid-20th Century Canadian Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Cedar
18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Linen, Fruitwood
20th Century American Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Pottery
19th Century Italian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Gesso, Wood
19th Century Asian Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
1760s Swiss Antique Rococo Sculptures and Carvings
Iron