Moorish Vases
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Vases
Pottery
Late 20th Century Turkish Moorish Vases
Earthenware
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Vases
Blown Glass
Late 19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Vases
Silver, Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Metal, Nickel
Early 20th Century American Moorish Vases
Bronze
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Vases
Brass
Early 20th Century Czech Moorish Vases
Cut Glass
Mid-19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Vases
Copper
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Moorish Vases
Brass
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Vases
Metal
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Terracotta
1940s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Metallic Thread
20th Century Italian Moorish Vases
Ceramic, Paint
Late 20th Century Turkish Moorish Vases
Earthenware
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Metal
19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Vases
Brass
19th Century Antique Moorish Vases
Metal, Copper
20th Century Italian Moorish Vases
Ceramic, Paint
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Vases
Copper
1990s Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Vases
Brass
1890s Moroccan Antique Moorish Vases
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Pottery
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Mid-19th Century Antique Moorish Vases
Brass
1860s German Antique Moorish Vases
Glass
Mid-18th Century Persian Antique Moorish Vases
Terracotta
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Vases
Glass
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Vases
Metal
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Vases
Pottery
Early 20th Century Moorish Vases
Brass
20th Century Spanish Moorish Vases
Ceramic
19th Century Antique Moorish Vases
Brass, Copper
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
1990s Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
1920s Vintage Moorish Vases
Brass
1990s Moroccan Moorish Vases
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Hungarian Antique Moorish Vases
Earthenware
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Vases
Ceramic, Paint
20th Century Moorish Vases
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century Turkish Moorish Vases
Enamel