Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
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.
19th Century Mexican Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Limestone
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Marble
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century American Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
20th Century American Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Plaster, Paint
20th Century American Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Walnut
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Carrara Marble
1850s Italian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Terracotta
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Early 1800s Italian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Giltwood, Wood
1920s Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Cast Stone
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Mid-19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Glass, Wood
Mid-20th Century Mexican Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century Swiss Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Mid-19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1920s German Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1890s North American Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
Late 17th Century Scandinavian Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
17th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1890s French Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
1910s French Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
1920s Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Cast Stone
1950s English Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Stone
1980s Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood, Paint
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Ceramic, Paint, Paper
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood, Paint
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
1960s Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Cast Stone
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Onyx
1780s French Antique Neoclassical Sculptures and Carvings
Poplar