Italian Neoclassical Painted Commodes
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Early 1800s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Antique 1790s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of D...
Walnut
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Paint
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Poplar
Vintage 1970s Italian Neoclassical Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Softwood
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Gold Leaf
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Wood
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chest...
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Revival Commodes and Ches...
Wood, Paint
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 18th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique 19th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Revival Commodes and Chests of D...
Brass
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of D...
Marble
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Vintage 1940s Italian Neoclassical Revival Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Bronze
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique 1770s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Antique 1780s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 1780s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
Antique 1780s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Giltwood, Paint
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Wood
Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Commodes and Chest...
Wood
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Pine
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Side Tables
Wood
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Marble
Antique 1780s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
20th Century American Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Dr...
Antique 19th Century Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Softwood
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Italian Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Paint
Antique 18th Century Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood, Pine
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Empire Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
2010s Italian Neoclassical Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
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Italian Neoclassical Painted Commodes For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Italian Neoclassical Painted Commodes?
A Close Look at 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.
Finding the Right Commodes-chests-of-drawers for You
Shopping for a commode or a chest of drawers?
Commode is the French term for a low chest of drawers, but it is also sometimes used to denote any case piece with a particularly intricate design. The commode dates to circa 1700 France, where it was used as an alternative to a taller cabinet piece so as to not obscure paneled, mirrored or tapestried walls. Coffers, or chests, which were large wooden boxes with hinged lids and sometimes stood on ball feet, preceded chests of drawers, a fashionable cabinet furnishing that garnered acclaim for its obvious storage potential and versatility. The term commode was also used to refer to a piece of bedroom furniture — a washstand or nightstand that contained a chamber pot.
As time passed, French and British furniture makers led the way in the production of chests of drawers, and features like the integration of bronze and ornamental pulls became commonplace. Antique French commodes in the Louis XV style were sometimes crafted in mahogany or walnut, while an Italian marble top added a sophisticated decorative flourish. This specific type of case piece grew in popularity in the years that followed.
So, what makes a chest of drawers different from a common dresser? Dressers are short, and chests of drawers are overall taller pieces of furniture that typically do not have room on the top for a mirror as most dressers do. Tallboys and highboys are variations of the dresser form. Some chests of drawers have one column of four to six long drawers or three long drawers in their bottom section that are topped by a cluster of small side-by-side drawers on the top. To further complicate things, we sometimes refer to particularly short chests of drawers as nightstands.
Even though chests of drawers are commonly thought of as bedroom furniture to store clothing, these are adaptable pieces. A chest of drawers can house important documents — think of your walnut Art Deco commode as an upgrade to your filing cabinet. Nestle your chest near your home’s front door to store coats and other outerwear, while the top can be a place to drop your handbag. Add some flair to your kitchen, where this lovable case piece can hold pots, pans and even cookbooks.
When shopping for the right chest of drawers for your home, there are a few key things to consider: What will you be storing in it? How big a chest will you need?
Speaking of size, don’t dream too big. If your space is on the smaller side, a more streamlined vintage mid-century modern chest of drawers, perhaps one designed by Paul McCobb or T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, may best suit your needs.
At 1stDibs, we make it easy to add style and storage to your home. Browse our collection of antique and vintage commodes and chests of drawers today.