During Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 A.D., Pompeii and Herculaneum in today’s Italy were preserved as they were on the day of their destruction. Particularly at Herculaneum, furnishings were carbonized beneath volcanic ash. This was pivotal to understanding how Classical Roman furniture was designed. Archaeological investigations and printed reproductions of discoveries would influence styles evoking this ancient civilization, from the Renaissance to neoclassicism.
While knowledge of Classical Roman furniture comes from rare surviving pieces, it is also derived from frescoes and sculptures portraying Roman life. Much of Roman art, architecture and design was informed by Greece — Roman architect, military engineer and writer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, whose timeless De architectura is taught in contemporary architecture classes and pays tribute to classical architecture, visited Greece while working under Julius Caesar and admired the country’s architectural developments. The Roman solium references the Greek thronos, a stately chair of honor with an upright form and footstool. As the Roman Empire spread across Europe and into North Africa and Western Asia, the expansion of trade for silver, silk, marble and wood allowed for more luxurious designs.
Classical Roman furniture was made from bronze, wood and stone — in particular, marble — with ornate touches like tortoiseshell veneers, bone and glass inlays and claw feet. Ornaments depicting lion heads and mythological figures were sculpted from silver, bronze and ivory. Compared to the decorative attention given to the mosaic floors and wall paintings, however, furniture for even a wealthy house was minimal. It focused on the necessities for guests arriving for both socializing and business and the rooms housing family, relatives and enslaved people.
The triclinium dining room had banquet couches, items so prized they were sometimes interred with the deceased. Tall bronze or terracotta candelabras held oil lamps for lighting. Carved marble tables reflected status, while the lararium home shrine demonstrated faith.
Find a collection of Classical Roman decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Antique Pair of Cast Stone Recumbent Entrance Way or Garden Regal Lion Statues
Located in St. Louis, MO
Nice pair of Antique cast stone recumbent regal lions statues - sculptures , perfect for the entrance way or garden. In the style of Antoine-Louis Barye. Nice age and patina.
Cast Stone, Cement
Pair of Cast Plaster Recumbent Entrance Way Garden Lions
Located in New York, NY
Attractive pair of garden statuary, entrance way lions, of heavy cast material (plaster). Both are in very good, original condition, showing only the expe...
Plaster
Roman Style Bronze Putti Fountain Statue
Located in Houston, TX
20th-century Roman-style bronze putti carrying a fish
Bronze
Vintage Classical Style Cast Cement Concrete Guardian Entry Lions - Pair
By Galway
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Vintage Classical Style Cast Cement Concrete Guardian Entry Lions with Authentic Weat...
Cement
Antique Roman / Etruscan Style Statue
Located in Sheffield, MA
Antique Roman / Etruscan style pottery partial statue. Robed figure in draped fabric. Measures: 7.5 inches in height. Exact age unknown, the pieces in t...
Terracotta
English Garden Stone Bust of Julius Caesar
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English garden statuary bust of Julius Caesar, the famed Roman emperor, in the Classical style (Roman or Greek) of composition stone. Perfect for a garden room or conservator...
Cast Stone
"Galata Morente" Sculpture in Bronze, sign: F. Barbedienne Fonduer
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
Logistics and International Shipping We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition. • Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our Argentina galleries are shipped directly to your address via air freight. • Simplified Customs Management: We handle the processing of export permits and the payment of customs duties. You will receive your purchase without additional paperwork or surprise costs. • High-Security Packaging: Following FedEx international standards, each piece is protected in custom-made wooden crates, designed to withstand 1-meter impacts and ensure the integrity of the object during transit. • Note for shipments to the USA: To comply with shipping company regulations and ensure delivery at the destination, a valid tax ID (EIN, SSN, or ITIN) is required. • Domestic US Shipping: For those pieces available in our United States storage, logistics are managed through 1stdibs. F. Barbedienne fonduer Ferdinand Barbedienne (6 August 1810 – 21 March 1892) was a French metalworker and manufacturer, who was well known as a bronze founder. The son of a small farmer from Calvados, he started his career as a dealer in wallpaper in Paris. In 1838 he went into partnership with Achille Collas (1795-1859), who had just invented a machine to create miniature bronze replicas of statues. Together they started a business selling miniatures of antique statues from museums all over Europe, thus democratising art and making it more accessible to households.[2] From 1843 they extended their scope by reproducing the work of living artists and also diversified by making enamelled household objects. With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 the firm briefly had to switch to cannon founding owing to the shortage of metals but resumed business afterwards. Following Barbedienne's death in 1892, he was buried in the Père-Lachaise cemetery and the firm was carried on by his nephew Gustave Leblanc until 1952. Among the principal artists reproduced by the firm were Antoine Louis Barye and Auguste Rodin. The Dying Galata (Italian: Galata morente...
Bronze
Large Weathered Garden Statue of Venus A Large stone Statue of Venus
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Large Weathered Garden Statue of Venus A Large reconstituted stone Statue of Venus This is a vintage classical statue, it dates from the early part of the 20th century with desirabl...
Cast Stone
Lyons by Antoine Durenne Was a French Cast Iron "Offer Free Shipping in Florida"
By A. Durenne
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
They are in Miami. We offer free shipping in Florida. They were exhibited at Palm beach "American International Fine Art Fair (AIFAF)" In the photos you can see a pair of lions of...
Iron
$88,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
American Carved Authentic Large Marble Angel Statues
Located in Surrey, BC
Now and then something fantastic comes available to acquire. Here is a pair of marble (yes marble) angel statues salvaged from an old church in New...
Marble
$3,100 / set
Pair of Sculpted Stone Lion Garden Statues
Located in Sheffield, MA
The charmingly hand-sculpted antique reclining lions face each other and have furry manes encircling their heads, as well as tails overlapping their back legs. Having an impressive s...
Stone
$4,800 / set
Pair of Antique Garden Lions
Located in Sheffield, MA
The pair of French hand-carved antique garden stone lions are crouching and are made of stone. The dimensions are for the slightly larger of th...
Stone
Vintage Campania Cast Stone Torsos Male and Female
By Campania International
Located in Newtown, CT
Pair of Campania Cast Stone male and female Torsos. Distressed look, the date from around 2000. They are 30" high x 14' wide by about 12" deep. bases are 10" x 12". the male figu...
Cast Stone
Large Cement Garden Statue Of A Roman Soldier
Located in Houston, TX
Large Cement Garden Statue Of A Roman Soldier. This handsome cement or concrete garden sculpture or garden ornament is a copy of the Roman original and dates to the mid 20th century....
Concrete, Cement
A fine 19th century Italian Carrera marble statue of a femaie lady with her dog.
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine 19th century Italian Carrera marble hand carved female seated with her dog. Carrera marble pedestal included and optional.
Carrara Marble
Pair of Early 20th Century Free Standing Carved Wood Cherubs, Putti Angels
Located in Germantown, MD
An adorable Pair of Early 20th Century Free Standing Carved Wood Cherubs, Putti Angels. One seated and the other on his knees. Measures 15.5" tall, 5.5" in width and 10" in depth. ...
Hardwood
Antique Pair of Cast Stone Recumbent Entrance Way or Garden Regal Lion Statues
Located in St. Louis, MO
Nice pair of Antique cast stone recumbent regal lions statues - sculptures , perfect for the entrance way or garden. Removed from a historic neighborhood in University City ( where ...
Cast Stone, Cement
$3,360Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of 19th Century Cast Lead Cupids from a Municipal Fountain
By Fiske Or Mott
Located in New York, NY
Stunning pair of cast lead cupids, originally part of a grand public fountain, now destroyed. The seated cupids hold a wine goblet in one hand, and a cluster of grapes on the other. ...
Lead
Jesus, Mary & Joseph in Mid Century Modern Sculptural Fiberglass & Plaster C1955
By Holy Frères
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous tall life size Joseph with Mary kneeling cradling Baby Jesus in what was a nativity scene. Molded Fiberglass with a coat of plaster over and then painted. Detailed shrouded ...
Fiberglass, Plaster, Paint
Italian Carved Marble Bust of Robbed Eros with Quivers, God of Love, Circa 1820
Located in Charleston, SC
Italian hand carved marble bust of robbed Eros with quivers. Eros signifies the God of love. Early 19th Century
Marble
Ancient Roman Carved Marble Roundel
Located in Essex, MA
Depicting a robed man holding a scroll in a circular frame, the hairstyle recalls that Emperor Gallienus; rough technique is compatible with the late Third Ce...
Marble
Mid-Century French Polished Iron Bust of Young "Bacchante" Female
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a shell or wine cellar with this elegant bust. Hand crafted in France circa 1970, and built of iron, the bust sits on an attached round base, and depicts a young female "Bac...
Iron
Cast Stone Garden Pagodas A Pair
Located in Bradenton, FL
Beautiful large pair of Japanese cast concrete Pagoda Garden Statues. These statues are made of durable, weather resistant concrete and have a muted stone-gray appearance with subtle...
Concrete
Early 20th Century French Hand-Cast Stone Poodle Garden Sculpture
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-846 French hand cast garden poodle sculpture with glass eyes.
Cast Stone
Pair of Early 20th Century French Garden Statues
Located in Houston, TX
A lovely pair of 20th century concrete garden figures from France. He is perched next to an oak stump with foliage and acorns in hand. She carries two floral...
Concrete
Pair of 19th Century Terra Cotta Winged Lions
Located in Troy, NY
Pair of 19th Century Terra Cotta Winged Lions. Well articulated, impressive pair of terra cotta winged lions, in seated position and holding heraldic shields between their front paws...
Terracotta
$6,500
H 71 in W 27 in D 22 in
Bronze Figural Large 71" Garden Water Fountain "Dione The Divine Goddess" Statue
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Please message us with your zip code to request a more reasonable domestic U.S. shipping quote. Classical Style Bronze Figural Large 71" Garden Water Fountain "Dione The Divine Godd...
Bronze
$5,525
H 50 in W 17.5 in D 11 in
Greco Roman Style Vintage Verde Bronze Statue of a Male Nude with Grapes in Hair
Located in Yonkers, NY
A vintage Greco-Roman style bronze nude statue from the 20th century with verde patina and wooden pedestal base. Created with the traditional technique o...
Bronze
$2,450
H 25 in W 13 in D 9 in
Early 20th Century Antique Bronze Boy with Goose Garden Statue, Fountain Top
Located in Stamford, CT
Early 20th century bronze boy carrying a goose around his neck. This is a great garden statue, the boys face is bursting with excitement as he carries the goose. Cast during the 1900...
Bronze
$57,000
H 34 in W 53 in D 24 in
Large Pair Patinated Life Size Bronze Statues Sculpture of Regal Big Cats Lions
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Large pair patinated life size bronze statues sculpture of Regal Big Cats Lions. Exceptional detailed high quality Large pair of Patinated bronze statues of...
Bronze
$26,000Sale Price / set|25% Off
H 31 in Dm 13 in
Set of Four Bronze Classical Style Musical Putti or Cherub Garden Statuary
Located in Westport, CT
Bronze musical Putti or Cherub garden statues set of four, with original patina, whimsical classical 1930s. Measurement of 13 equals the base, the...
Bronze
Large cast stone statue of Pandora. Female nude, Classic Roman Style
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large cast stone / concrete statue of Pandora depicting a female nude covering herself in her newly discovered modesty.. beautifully weathered .. beautifully posed , ready to adorn a...
Cast Stone, Concrete
19th Century Lead Statues, Four Seasons
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
In the grand tradition of classical mythology, these four lead sculptures represent the original personifications of nature in all their seasonal aspects. Each figure has been creat...
Lead
Pr. Vintage Cement Seated Lions
Located in New York, NY
Pair of vintage recumbent cast stone lions, in the style of Pinellas Cast Stone, an d Herni Studios, after Antonio Canova. Both are in very good condition, one is in natural finish, ...
Cement
Bronze Gladiator Statue Horse Casting Classical Roman
Located in Potters Bar, GB
Gorgeous large Italian bronze Roman gladiator on horseback Good size at 51 inches high - 129 CM Of course can live outside with no fear of rusting Bought from a dealer on Marche Daup...
Bronze
Weathered garden sculpture David concrete bust
Located in Ludwigslust, DE
Fantastically weathered bust made of concrete in a depiction of David. Probably made in Germany in the 60s. The bust is partially open at the bottom and can also be mounted on an app...
Concrete
Sold
H 58.25 in W 16.38 in D 16.38 in
English Garden Stone Figure of a Child Putti Playing Flute on a Plinth Base
Located in Austin, TX
A fine English garden statue or ornamental figure of composition stone, featuring a cherub or child putti in the Classical style, posed in a sitting position, playing a flute, on a b...
Cast Stone
Sold
H 10 in W 16 in D 27.5 in
Antique Pair of Cast Stone Recumbent Entrance Way or Garden Lions Statues
Located in St. Louis, MO
Nice pair of Antique cast stone recumbent Lions statues - sculptures , perfect for the entrance way or garden. Nice age patina.
Cast Stone, Cement
Sold
H 19.69 in W 11.42 in D 9.45 in
Antique Terracotta Classical Bust Sculpture/Planter, 19th Century
Located in Bristol, GB
ANTIQUE PORTRAIT BUST Depicting Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (c.63 BC-12 BC), a notable general, architect and the right-hand man and son-in-law to the Roman emperor Augustus. Amongst other things Agrippa was responsible for many military victories including 31 BC’s Battle of Actium defeating Marc Anthony and Cleopatra...
Terracotta
Sold
H 36.62 in W 25.6 in D 11.82 in
Antique Roman Stone Garden Statue Large Life Size Bacchus Sculpture
Located in Buxton, GB
We are delighted to offer for sale this Fabulous Statue - Infant Bacchus Harvester This fantastic Outdoor or Indoor Statue, is of the young Roman God Bacchus. The statue is nicel...
Composition
Pair, Carved Lion Garden Statues Painted White, Denmark circa 1920-40
Located in Round Top, TX
Pair, lion statues carved in limestone and painted white. Male lions with impressive manes are in sitting position. The aged patina including distress to finish, wear, old lichen/sta...
Limestone
Barbezat et Cie Cast Iron Painted Classical Sculpture of a Female Water Carrier
Located in Milford, NH
A fine Mid 19th century cast painted iron sculpture of a Classical form female water carrier on pedestal, with oval foundry stamp “Barbezat et Cie” at her feet, on a round scroll, sh...
Iron
Sold
H 51.5 in W 17 in D 12.25 in
Garden Statuary of Standing Female With Wine Jugs, Denmark circa 1920-40
Located in Round Top, TX
Carved limestone garden sculpture, figure of standing female with wine jugs on capital. The worn patina reflects years of exposure outside in the elements, leaving an aged pitted pa...
Limestone
Limestone Garden Figure of Standing Neptune, Denmark circa 1930-50
Located in Round Top, TX
Limestone garden figure of Neptune with weathered patina. Pitting, nicks, small cracks, lichen/stains all signs of wear from weather and outd...
Limestone
Pair, Carved Limestone Lion Garden Statues, Denmark circa 1920-40
Located in Round Top, TX
Pair, early 20th century French lion statues carved in limestone. Male lions with handsome mane are in sitting position. The aged patina including distress to finish, wear, old liche...
Limestone
Early Cast Stone Architectural Garden Ornament
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This meticulously crafted garden ornament showcases a captivating blue hue that carries an air of sophistication, while the skillful paint chipping across its body lends a naturally ...
Stone