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Neoclassical Busts

NEOCLASSICAL STYLE

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.

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Style: Neoclassical
Classical Style Two Coloured Marble Bust In Beige And White
Located in Southall, GB
A decorative two coloured marble bust. Cleanly carved with delicate features, from the curling hair to the smooth draping of the cloth garments. Wearin...
Category

Late 20th Century European Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Classical Style Two Coloured Marble Bust In Beige And White
Classical Style Two Coloured Marble Bust In Beige And White

Classical Style Two Coloured Marble Bust In Beige And White

$5,231 Sale Price
20% Off
19th Century Bronze and Rouge Marble Bust
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Finley cast bust of lady on beautiful rogue marble plinth with a dore bronze accent ring at the base.
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century Bronze and Rouge Marble Bust
19th Century Bronze and Rouge Marble Bust

19th Century Bronze and Rouge Marble Bust

$6,250
Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. marble, Ormolu, and bronze statue
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome and finely detailed Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. black Belgian marble, Ormolu, and patinated Bronze statue of Ajax the Great. This wonderful bust of Ajax the Gre...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. marble, Ormolu, and bronze statue
Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. marble, Ormolu, and bronze statue

Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. marble, Ormolu, and bronze statue

$12,980
Early 20th Century Vintage Regency Plaster Bust
Located in west palm beach, FL
This exquisite Regency-style plaster bust captures the grace and elegance of classical portraiture. With finely sculpted facial features, flowing curls, and an intricately draped nec...
Category

Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Plaster

Early 20th Century Vintage Regency Plaster Bust
Early 20th Century Vintage Regency Plaster Bust

Early 20th Century Vintage Regency Plaster Bust

$1,400 Sale Price
20% Off
American Bronze Patina Gentleman Bust
Located in Queens, NY
American 1940s bronze green patina bust of a gentleman wearing a jacket and tie raised on a square plinth
Category

20th Century American Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Bronze

American Bronze Patina Gentleman Bust
American Bronze Patina Gentleman Bust

American Bronze Patina Gentleman Bust

$4,500
Late 18th Century Pair Porcelain Busts
Located in Dublin 8, IE
Late 18th Century Pair Porcelain Busts depicting the Greek figures Homer and Artemis, both featuring firing marks. The bust of Homer is based on a much-restored Roman copy of a Hell...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Ceramic, Porcelain

Late 18th Century Pair Porcelain Busts
Late 18th Century Pair Porcelain Busts

Late 18th Century Pair Porcelain Busts

$4,116 / set
18th Century French Louis XVI Plaster Bust Portrait of Nicolas de Condorcet
Located in Dallas, TX
An 18th French plaster bust of a young aristocrat with a charming gaze and a wonderful old patina.
Category

Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Plaster

18th Century French Louis XVI Plaster Bust Portrait of Nicolas de Condorcet
18th Century French Louis XVI Plaster Bust Portrait of Nicolas de Condorcet

18th Century French Louis XVI Plaster Bust Portrait of Nicolas de Condorcet

$5,400
Napoleon III French Solid Marble Bust, Signed by Sculptor of a Beautiful Women
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this rare and quite exquisite original 19th century Napoleon III French bust of a stunning young lady signed to the rear. A truly stunning sculp...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Napoleon III French Solid Marble Bust, Signed by Sculptor of a Beautiful Women
Napoleon III French Solid Marble Bust, Signed by Sculptor of a Beautiful Women

Napoleon III French Solid Marble Bust, Signed by Sculptor of a Beautiful Women

$4,956 Sale Price
20% Off
Large American White Marble Bust of a Gentleman by Randolph Rogers
By Randolph Rogers
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fine 19th century white carved marble bust of a gentleman with mustache wearing a Toga. Signed: Randolph Rogers, Rome. Randolph John Rogers (July 6, 1825, Waterloo, New York – January 15, 1892, Rome, Italy) was an American Neoclassical sculptor. An expatriate who lived most of his life in Italy, his works ranged from popular subjects to major commissions, including the Columbus Doors at the U.S. Capitol and American Civil War monuments. Born in Waterloo, New York, he spent most of his childhood in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He developed an interest in wood cuts and wood engraving, and moved to New York City about 1847, but was unsuccessful in finding employment as an engraver. While working as a clerk in a dry-goods store, his employers discovered his native talent as a sculptor and provided funds for him to travel to Italy. He began study in Florence in 1848, where he studied briefly under Lorenzo Bartolini. He then opened a studio in Rome in 1851. He resided in that city until his death in 1892. He began his career carving statues of children and portrait busts of tourists. He was not happy working with marble consequently all his marble statues were copied in his studio by Italian artisans under his supervision, from an original produced by him in another material. This also enabled him to profit from his popular works. His first large-scale work was Ruth Gleaning...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Large American White Marble Bust of a Gentleman by Randolph Rogers
Large American White Marble Bust of a Gentleman by Randolph Rogers

Large American White Marble Bust of a Gentleman by Randolph Rogers

$14,500
Neoclassical Style Marble Female Bust after Joseph Chinard
By Joseph Chinard
Located in London, GB
Neoclassical style marble female bust after Joseph Chinard French, late 19th century Measures: Height 63cm, width 33cm, depth 20cm Portraying Madam...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Neoclassical Style Marble Female Bust after Joseph Chinard
Neoclassical Style Marble Female Bust after Joseph Chinard

Neoclassical Style Marble Female Bust after Joseph Chinard

$11,702
Joseph Charles Marin
By Joseph Charles Marin
Located in New York, NY
Cupid Holding a Bow by French Sculptor Joseph-Charles Marin (1759-1834) White Marble, signed and dated 1784 Provenance: Carl Singer, from the Estate of Charles Hitchcock Tyler, Beverly MA...
Category

Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Joseph Charles Marin
Joseph Charles Marin

Joseph Charles Marin

$19,000
Handsome 19th Century Bronze and Marble Neoclassical Bust, Great Color & Patina.
Located in Buchanan, MI
Handsome 19th Century Bronze and Marble Neoclassical Bust, Great Color & Patina. Pristine Condition.
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Handsome 19th Century Bronze and Marble Neoclassical Bust, Great Color & Patina.
Handsome 19th Century Bronze and Marble Neoclassical Bust, Great Color & Patina.

Handsome 19th Century Bronze and Marble Neoclassical Bust, Great Color & Patina.

$1,800
Late 18th Century Sandstone Bust in Classical Greco-Roman Dress
Located in Dublin 8, IE
Late 18th century neo-classical style hand-carved sandstone bust of a lady in classical Greco-Roman dress. Possibly a depiction of Daphne who was a Naiad n...
Category

Late 18th Century European Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Sandstone

Late 18th Century Sandstone Bust in Classical Greco-Roman Dress
Late 18th Century Sandstone Bust in Classical Greco-Roman Dress

Late 18th Century Sandstone Bust in Classical Greco-Roman Dress

$13,524
French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Bronze, Marble, & Ormolu Bust of Marianne
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and most impressive French 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze, silvered bronze, ormolu, Rosso Verona and white Carrara marble bust of Marianne in full armor. The bust is raised by a thick Rosso Verona marble base with an elegant scalloped shape adorned with richly chased masks and swaging berried laurel garlands and centered by a striking fitted ormolu plaque...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Bronze, Marble, & Ormolu Bust of Marianne
French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Bronze, Marble, & Ormolu Bust of Marianne

French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Bronze, Marble, & Ormolu Bust of Marianne

$44,500
Very Fine Bust of Lady on Wooden Base
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very fine bust of a classical lady on wooden base signed Cognel. Dated 1884 Dimensions: Height 26.5", width 19.5", depth 13". CW4125.
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Plaster

Very Fine Bust of Lady on Wooden Base
Very Fine Bust of Lady on Wooden Base

Very Fine Bust of Lady on Wooden Base

$1,850
Italian 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble Bust Named La Sulamitide
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. white Carrara marble bust of a lady, named La Sulamitide, on the original Vert de Patricia marble pedestal column. The maiden has fi...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Italian 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble Bust Named La Sulamitide
Italian 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble Bust Named La Sulamitide

Italian 19th Century Neoclassical Style Marble Bust Named La Sulamitide

$39,800
Charming French Terracotta Bust on Ebonized Wood Base Depicting Young Child.
Located in Buchanan, MI
Charming French Terracotta Bust on Ebonized Wood Base Depicting Young Child. We also have other bust of various subject. Feel free to call with further questions.
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Terracotta

Charming French Terracotta Bust on Ebonized Wood Base Depicting Young Child.
Charming French Terracotta Bust on Ebonized Wood Base Depicting Young Child.

Charming French Terracotta Bust on Ebonized Wood Base Depicting Young Child.

$1,200
17th Century Wooden Bust of the Greek Poet Homerus
Located in Esbeek, NL
Late 17th century wooden bust of the Greek poet Homerus. Damage on the right side of the bust, see picture.
Category

17th Century European Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Wood

17th Century Wooden Bust of the Greek Poet Homerus
17th Century Wooden Bust of the Greek Poet Homerus

17th Century Wooden Bust of the Greek Poet Homerus

$2,116
Charming Gilt Bronze Bust of a Woman
Located in Buchanan, MI
Charming gilt bronze bust of a woman, spectacular gilt finish.
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Gold Leaf

Charming Gilt Bronze Bust of a Woman
Charming Gilt Bronze Bust of a Woman

Charming Gilt Bronze Bust of a Woman

$950

Neoclassical busts for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Neoclassical busts for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage busts created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, building and garden elements, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with stone, marble and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Neoclassical busts made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original busts, popular names associated with this style include Affortunato Gory, Antonio Frilli, Camille Tharaud, and Copeland. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for busts differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $400 and tops out at $75,000 while the average work can sell for $4,450.

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