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.
Roman travertine cup classic style -made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Travertine cup, antique classical cup, sculpture, marble, marble furniture, marble fruit holder, white marble cup, marble cup , Roman travertine cup ,Carrara, classical cup. Classica...
Travertine
Diana Gabii, sculpture carved on white Carrara marble, made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Sculpture of the Diana "Gabii," hand carved on beautiful white Carrara marble. Made n Italy The total weight is 23 kg The sculpture has an "antiqued" treatment, even with special pa...
Carrara Marble
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
sculpture of Roman woman with tunic and stole in white Carrara marble- made Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Roman woman sculpture, marble sculpture, Roman matron sculpture, Roman matron sculpture with tunic and stole carved on white Carrara marble original sculpture made in Italy The weigh...
Carrara Marble
Collection of Italian Specimen Marble Spheres on Stands
Located in Hudson, NY
This three-piece grouping of specimen marble spheres can be sold as the group or as a pair ( the left and right are a pair or as a single in the middle) and a single. The marble is ...
Marble
Sculpture Bust Stone Brutus
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
After the antique. This bust conveys the character of Brutus his courage, strength, power, nobility, honour and conviction. Measures: height 34cm., 13.5" diameter 20cm., 8" Fashioned after the c1539 statue of Brutus by Michelangelo, Bargello Museum in Florence. Marcus Junius Brutus Caepio (c.85-42): Roman politician, murderer of Gaius Julius Caesar and one of the last defenders of the republic. Marcus Junius Brutus is one of the great names of Roman history. Central to the notorious conspiracy that resulted in the assassination of the dictator Julius Caesar on the Ides of March 44 BC, Brutus gave brief hope to those who longed for the restoration of republican government. Yet by August of the same year he was on his way from Italy to the Greek east; a little over two years later he had committed suicide in the face of defeat at the hands of Mark Antony...
Cast Stone
Plaster Skinned Anatomical Figure, circa 1900s, Ellegible Signature
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Plaster Skinned Anatomical Figure, circa 1900s, Ellegible Signature
Plaster
Head Julius Caesar carved on white Carrara marble-made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Julius Caesar sculpture, Caesar head sculpture, Sculpture, Male head, classical art, Greek art, Julius Caesar art , white Carrara marble, classical sculpture, Portrait head of Juliu...
Marble
Late 20th Century Vintage Horse Statue
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This bronze horse head sculpture features a strong, elongated form with expressive detailing in the mane and muzzle. The finish is aged with hints of patina, lending it a sense of ti...
Bronze
Antique Greco-Roman Soldier Sculpture / Vase
Located in New York, NY
Very unique antique (19th century) continental figurative sculpture or centerpiece with shallow vase at center depicting Roman soldiers. 17 1/2 inches tall and 7 inches across. App...
Bronze
Tiffany Studios Bronze Italian Style Urn “From the Antique” Series early 1900s
Located in Glenford, NY
Rare Very Fine Tiffany Studios Classical Roman Style Urn. Made in approximately 1908 as part of their “From the Antique” series. The series number is S113 and 1609 is marked on the ...
Bronze
Octavian Augustus bust in clear handmade ceramic made in Italy
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Augustus, Octavian Augustus bust, Sculpture, emperor bust, Octavian bust, Augustus bust, ancient Roman bust, Roman art, classical art, Greek art, bust, refractory clay bust, sculptur...
Ceramic
Women In The Antique, Bronzes, XIXth Century
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Antique women, two brown patina bronzes of women standing in draped dresses Wooden bases Patina wear (traces of old gilding) 19th century price for the set Height 30 and 28cm D...
Bronze
Centaur carved on white Carrara marble -made in italy -handmade
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Sculpture, marble centaur, Roman art, classical art, Greek art, bust, white Carrara marble, classical sculpture, ancient sculpture, ancient bust, made in Italy Centaur carved on whit...
Carrara Marble
Decorative Ceramic Bowl, Alexandre Kostanda, France c. 1948
Located in St Ouen, FR
Massive bowl with polychrome glazes and antique decoration. Born to Russian parents Alexandre Kostanda very quickly tried his hand at ceramics when his parents settled in Vallauris ...
Ceramic
Original plaster head representing EL DANTE, circa 1900
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Original plaster head representing EL DANTE, circa 1900
Plaster
Pietro Bazzanti 19th Century Italian Carrara Marble Bust of Roman Woman
Located in Long Branch, NJ
Pietro Bazzanti 19th Century Italian Carrara Marble Bust of Roman Woman Dimensions : 31" Tall X 24" Wide X 10" Deep This gorgeous marble bust was made by Pietro Bazzanti (1842-1881...
Carrara Marble
1990s Bust of Roman General Hand Carved in Carrara White and Alicante Red Marble
Located in Marbella, ES
1990s bust of a Roman general, hand carved by craftsmen using Carrara white marble for the head and Alicante red for the toga, where the white and red contrast give movement and real...
Marble
Sculpture Woman in Bronze and Marble Guss Wollenbergu Schuttz
Located in Ciudad Autónoma Buenos Aires, C
The German foundry Wollenberg & Schultz (frequently abbreviated in period inscriptions as Wollenberg u. Schultz) is a niche but historically highly significant name within Berlin's ...
Marble, Bronze
$2,951Sale Price / item|20% Off
Byzantium Ceramic Vase Hand Painted Majolica Italy Contemporary 21st Century
Located in London, GB
Bottega Vignoli, Byzantium vase, 2022, hand-painted maiolica fired in full-fire reduction firing 17cm x 37cm height. Unique piece. Bottega Vignoli, based in Faenza—the historic ...
Ceramic, Majolica
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
Carved Painted and Gilt Wood Column Display Pedestal
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Carved painted and gilt wood column display pedestal The column is set on a square base, the central column is deeply reeded and supports a square platform top The column is in t...
Paint
A fine 19th century French signed bronze of Victory. Parcel gilt details .
Located in Dallas, TX
A fine 19th century French bronze depicting Victory. Signed with beautiful details and parcel gilt sword and wreath.
Bronze
Green & Blue Byzantium Ceramic Vase Hand Painted Majolica Italy Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Bottega Vignoli, Byzantium vase, 2022, hand-painted maiolica fired in full-fire reduction firing 17cm x 37cm height. Unique piece. Bottega Vignoli, based in Faenza—the historic ...
Ceramic, Majolica
Classical Faux Marble Roundel with a Mask
Located in London, by appointment only
An extremely well-made copy of a classical mask after the antique, the face shown in high relief within a dished background and a border of Greek Key with discs to the four sides. No...
Resin
1990s Bust of Roman Hand Carved in Carrara White and Alicante Red Marble
Located in Marbella, ES
1990s bust of a Roman, hand carved by craftsmen using Carrara white marble for the head and Alicante red on the toga, where the white veins give movement and realism to the cloth. Si...
Marble
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...
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...
Marble, Bronze
$7,900
Alabaster Pedestal Bowl
Located in Miami, FL
Offered is an amber-colored chiseled alabaster pedestal bowl designed exclusively for Urban Art Home and made by an artisan in Italy. The bow...
Alabaster
A Large Patinated Bronze Figure of a Draped Religious Women Titled: Antifonh
Located in Tarzana, 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)...
Bronze
Orange, Yellow and Red Majolica Vase Hand-Painted Ceramic Italy Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Bottega Vignoli, Cosmatesque Vase, 2026 Hand-Painted Majolica with Full Reduction Firing 38 cm height x 28 cm width Unique piece. Bottega Vignoli, based in Faenza—the historic he...
Ceramic, Earthenware, Majolica
Vintage Boho Plaster Bust of Man
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Introduce a touch of old-world grandeur to your home with this striking vintage neoclassical bust. Inspired by classical Greco-Roman sculpture, this piece features a serene visage cr...
Plaster, Paint
19th Century Roman Obelisks in Red and Green Marble, Classical Style
Located in Phoenix, AZ
19th Century Roman Obelisks Red and Green Marble Unique piece purchased in France. Age appropriate wear, see detailed photos or message us with questions.
Marble
Sculpture Bust Roman Emperor White and Red Marble
Located in Tivoli Terme, Roma
The sculpture realized by a Roman sculptor as from the Roman academy tradition, is carved with two marbles. Gaius Iulius Caesare formally known as Cesare was a Roman general and statesman who played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic...
Marble
19th Century Ebonized Plaster Bust of Marcus Tulles Cicero
Located in Stamford, CT
A Bust of Marcus Tulles Cicero, Roman Consul in 63 B.C. completed in ebonized plaster, circa 1880. Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer and philosopher, who served as consul in the year 63 BC. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists. (Wikipedia) Provenance: Collection of Brigadier General Alfred Douglas Miller...
Plaster
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...
French 19th Century Clock Set with Roman Centurion and Candelabra
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century French gilded ormolu and green marble clock garniture. Having a pair of four branch candelabra with classical busts to t...
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century Continental Iron and Gilt Pedestal Birdbath or Fountain
Located in Dallas, TX
Large and impressive 19th century Continental iron and parcel gilt fountain or birdbath. Beautiful detail and quality.
Iron
19th Century Bronze Bust of Young Emperor in Classical Roman Style
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...
Bronze
Bacchus, Plaster Statue, France, circa 1930
Located in Paris, FR
Beautiful old plaster statue, in the neoclassical spirit, representing young Bacchus. France, National Museums molding workshop, circa 1930.
Plaster
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...
Marble, Belgian Black Marble, Bronze
Red & White Byzantium Ceramic Vase Hand Painted Majolica Italy Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Bottega Vignoli, Byzantium vase, 2022, hand-painted maiolica fired in full-fire reduction firing 17cm x 37cm height. Unique piece. Bottega Vignoli, based in Faenza—the historic ...
Ceramic, Majolica
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...
Wood
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Antique North African Red Slip Ware Vase
Located in Katonah, NY
Antique handmade African red slip ware vase. Circa 300-600 CE (AD), this beautiful handmade piece red slip ware pottery was handmade in North Africa. This pi...
Clay
Bust of Egyptian pharaoh carved on white Carrara marble
Located in Tarquinia, IT
Sculpture, Egyptian bust, ancient bust, pharaoh bust, Roman art, classical art, Greek art, bust, white Carrara marble, classical sculpture, ancient sculpture, ancient bust, made in I...
Marble
Pair of Patinated Bronze Models of the Townley Vase Cast by Delafontaine
By AUGUST MAXIMILIEN DELAFONTAINE
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A fine pair of patinated bronze models of the townley vase, cast after the antique, by Auguste-Maximilien Delafontaine. The bronze stamped to the under...
Bronze
Carved Italian Alabaster Sculpture of a Maiden at the Well, circa 1900
Located in Tarzana, CA
Carved Italian Alabaster sculpture of a maiden at the water fountain Italy, circa 1900. Depicting a young maiden leaning on a decora...
Alabaster