Neoclassical Mounted Objects
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.
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Iron
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Bronze
Mid-20th Century European Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Limestone, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary European Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble
Late 20th Century European Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble
18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Pewter
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Giltwood
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Metal
20th Century English Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
Late 20th Century English Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
1810s Italian Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Bronze
Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Terracotta
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Ostrich Eggshell, Giltwood
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
Mid-19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble, Carrara Marble, Steel
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Iron
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Steel
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Aluminum
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble, Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Bronze
Early 20th Century European Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Hardwood
Mid-19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble, Cement, Steel
Mid-19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Cement, Marble
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Silver
17th Century European Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Iron
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Plaster
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Pottery
Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Sandstone
1820s Italian Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Sterling Silver, Brass
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Rock Crystal
18th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Tôle, Metal
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble
Mid-18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Bronze
1870s French Antique Neoclassical Mounted Objects
Marble