Classical Roman Sculptures
CLASSICAL ROMAN STYLE
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.
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Style: Classical Roman
Period: 19th Century
19th Century Classic Chased Bronze Figure of Pan or Dancer on Carved Wood Base
Located in Miami, FL
Extremely detailed and finely chased 19th century bronze figure of pan in celebration or dance perhaps in Bacchanalia. Flutes, laurel scepter rais...
Category
19th Century Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Mid-19th Century French Bronze Figure of the Borghese Gladiator
Located in London, GB
A French bronze figure of the Borghese Gladiator, mid-19th century, cast by Ferdinand Barbedienne, after the antique.
Base dimensions: 34.5cm...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Italian Alabaster Group of Children Pushing a Cart
Located in Brighton, Sussex
This enchanting 19th century Italian carved Alabaster group of four putti playing whilst pushing and pulling a wooden cart, entitled; 'From the harvest'
By Prof; A. Petrill, Firenz...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster
Fine Large 19th Century Continental Bronze Bust Depicting a Roman Dignitary
Located in Dallas, TX
Fine Continental Roman style bronze bust, late 19th century, depicting a curly haired and bearded young man wearing classical drapery pinned on his l...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Carved Wood Classical Sculpture
Located in London, GB
A beautiful and very unusual antique sculpture, carved from solid wood. This looks like it is most likely Italian, it depicts an intimate scene from biblical times. It is hard to dat...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Antique Bronze Female Sculpture by Eugene Antoine Aizelin, 19th Century, France
Located in Montreal, QC
Exquisite bronze sculpture by Eugene Aizelin (French 1821-1902) featuring a strikingly beautiful statue of a female figure standing and reading a letter; set on plinth base. Dimensio...
Category
19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Italian Marble Sculpture of Apollo
Located in London, GB
Italian marble sculpture of Apollo
Italian, 19th century
Measures: Height 64cm, width 61cm, depth 43cm
This large and fine carved marble ...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Carrara Marble
Cast Stone Corbels
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of Classical style figural cast stone corbels. Each depicting a child supporting a shepherds shelf with garland swags.
Dimensions: Height 48", width...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Cast Stone
19th Century Italian Alabaster Bust
Located in Houston, TX
19th century Italian alabaster bust.
Well sculpted antique Italian alabaster or marble bust of a classical female mounted on a plinth. This is a beautifully detailed antique alabaster bust...
Category
1860s Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Alabaster
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...
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Bronze figure of Augustus after Roman period original
Located in London, GB
Known as the ‘Augustus of Prima Porta,’ the original bronze version of this sculpture was created c. 20 BCE. That original has been lost since antiquity but is known today from a mar...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
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. ...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Lead
Gilt Bronze Model of Ceres
Located in London, GB
A gilt bronze model of Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture, modeled seated holding torch aloft in one hand and with a sheaf of wheat in the other, on plin...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Antique Stone Lion Mask Pedestal
Located in Sheffield, MA
19th century English Romanesque antique stone pedestal has protruding lion mask carved on pedestal.
Base measurement: 9.25" x 9.25"
Top meas...
Category
Early 19th Century English Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Pair of Grand Tour Bronze Figures after the Antique
Located in Montreal, QC
This striking pair, one of Ceres, emblematic of the harvest, the other with a dove and laurel wreath are well modelled as elegant figures in flowing gowns...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
A Large Patinated Bronze Figure of a Draped Religious Women Titled: Antifonh
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fine 19th century French patinated bronze figure of a standing draped classical woman with a wreath to her hair holding an urn.
Titled: Antifonh
Measures:
Height 41.5" (105.4 cm)...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Italian Micro-Mosaic Plaque Depicting the Pantheon in Rome
Located in London, GB
This exquisite antique Italian micro-mosaic plaque depicts the Piazza della Rotunda in Rome, with the Pantheon at its centre. The portrayal is particularly important, as it shows the...
Category
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Stone
19th Century Italian Neoclassical Style Specimen Marble Busts of Caesars
Located in Charleston, SC
Incredible hand carved 19th century Italian specimen marble busts of Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.
The life like faces are impeccably carved in...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Large Marble Grouping of "Cupid and Psyche" after A. Canova, Signed C. Lapini
Located in New York, NY
A magnificent and large carved Italian Carrara marble grouping of "Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss", Modeled After Antonio Canova, signed Cesare Lapini. The subjects are shown to be m...
Category
1870s Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Gilt Bronze Statuette of the Belvedere Antinous, Italian, 19th Century
Located in Kensington, MD
The gilt bronze figure of Antinous is mounted on a circular gilt bronze socle set on an hexagonal gilt bronze plinth attached to a wood base.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Antique Grand Tour Classical Bronze Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Antique Grand Tour classical bronze Roman figural sculpture with laurel crown.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Grand Tour Bronze Putti
Located in Montreal, QC
This charming young couple evoke summer in Italy. She with a bill hook and branch with fruiting vine, and her companion with a sheaf of wheat over his shoulder. Each is well modelled...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Antique Patinated Bronze Figure of Roman Emperor by Mathurin Moreau
Located in London, GB
This fine, full length figure is modelled in the contrapposto pose, a position originating from ancient Greek Classical sculpture. The visual arts uses the term 'contrapposto' to des...
Category
19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
French, Early 20th Century Bronze, David Beheading Goliath
Located in Montreal, QC
It is certainly David from the Old Testement. He is young handsome and brave, his harp he has set down and is about to behead the Philistine Champion, Goliath who is not shown.
He...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Marble Bust of Caesar
Located in New Haven, CT
This very handsome 40" tal marble bust was hand-carved in Italy in the Grand Tour period. Made of rouge- grey- and Statuario-Marbles.
Circa 1860.
It is possibly of Marcus Junius Brut...
Category
1860s Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Pair of 19th Century Cast Iron Female Figures Holding Pestle and Mortar
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
A pair of 19th century cast iron female figures holding pestle and mortar.
A lovely pair of figures, they are very heavy each of the figures is holding ...
Category
1860s Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
German Figural Young Roman Bronze Mounted on Rouge Marble Base, Circa 1885
Located in Hollywood, SC
German figural bronze of young roman mounted on a circular squared rouge marble base, Late 19th century. Signed by sculptor Fritz Heinemann, Roma.
Category
1880s German Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Bronze Figure Group of a Painter with a Muse, Late 19th Century
Located in Lantau, HK
A late 19th century French bronze figure group of a painter at his easel with a female figure by his side.
The piece is in good condition with a lovely patina.
Shipping inclu...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Young Emperor Bust
Located in Roma, IT
19th century bronze bust of young emperor.
This object is shipped from Italy. Under existing legislation, any object in Italy created over 70 years ago by an artist who has died re...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Antique Decorative Bronze Roman Busts on Columns
Located in London, GB
A Pair of Miniature Bronzes of Roman Busts
On Marmore Nero Columns
In the Manner of Georges Servant
After the original models exhibited at the Paris ex...
Category
19th Century English Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
Life Size 19th Century Italian White Marble Sculpture Titled "The Wrestlers"
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This exceptional 19th century Italian hand carved marble group titled: 'The Wrestlers' was carved after a Greek original of the 3rd century BCE.
This impressive statue depicts two na...
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Carrara Marble
Italian Carved Marble Bust of Eros . Circa 1820
Located in Hollywood, SC
Italian hand carved marble bust of Eros with cloak & quivers. Eros signifies the god of love. Early 19th Century
Category
1820s Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Marble Bust by William Theed the Younger
Located in London, GB
Portrait bust in statuary marble. Ex Browne-Swinburne, Capheaton Hall, Northumberland.
Signed and dated, 1830
William Theed, t...
Signed and dated, 1830
William Theed, t...
Category
19th Century British Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Statuary Marble
A fine 19th century bronze entitled " Amor and Fortuna'' by Aug Moreau
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine large 19th century patinated bronze depicting Love and good fortune by Aug. Moreau. Sitting on a rouge marble pedestal
Category
Mid-19th Century French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Marble Capital on Lucite Base
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century carved marble Capital displayed on a lucite base. I purchased the Capital in Italy but it was made in France.
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble
19th Century Bronze Statue of Venus Aphrodite
By Praxiteles 1
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A beautiful antique bronze statue depicting Aphrodite / Venus, a goddess from classical antiquity. This bronze statue dates from circa 1870 and was made in France. The statue is not ...
Category
1870s French Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Italian Bronze Sculpture of Andromeda by Giacomo Ginotti Second Part of 1800
Located in Milano, MI
Full bronze sculpture of Andromeda, made in the second part of the 1800s
Ø cm 20 Ø cm 14 h cm 44
The sculpture is attributed to Giacomo Ginotti, considered one of the principal...
Category
1870s Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Carved Italian Gilt Wood Figures on Lucite Stands
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of 19th century carved giltwood figures mounted on Lucite stands.
Base is 2" thick.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Classical Roman Sculptures
Materials
Lucite, Giltwood
Classical Roman sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Classical Roman sculptures 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 sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, building and garden elements, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with stone, marble and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Classical Roman sculptures 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 sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, LAGU, F. Barbedienne Foundry, and Massimo Marcomini. 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 sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $60 and tops out at $150,000 while the average work can sell for $3,210.