Neoclassical Candle Holders
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.
20th Century Neoclassical Candle Holders
Brass
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Wrought Iron
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Marble, Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Marble, Metal, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Iron
1880s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Brass
Mid-20th Century European Neoclassical Candle Holders
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Stone, Metal
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Wrought Iron
1810s European Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Other
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Brass
20th Century English Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
1940s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Brass
1920s English Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Sterling Silver
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Candle Holders
Bronze
Early 20th Century British Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Candle Holders
Bronze
Mid-20th Century English Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century English Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic
2010s Italian Neoclassical Candle Holders
Oak
20th Century English Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Mid-20th Century English Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Candle Holders
Clay
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Other
1910s English Vintage Neoclassical Candle Holders
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Neoclassical Candle Holders
Silver Plate
Late 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Pottery
Early 20th Century German Neoclassical Candle Holders
Porcelain
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Ceramic
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Candle Holders
Slate