Moorish Folk Art
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.
19th Century Persian Antique Moorish Folk Art
Metal, Silver, Copper
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal, Silver Plate, Brass
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Folk Art
Fruitwood, Shell, Mother-of-Pearl
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Canvas
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
20th Century Spanish Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Late 19th Century Omani Antique Moorish Folk Art
Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Folk Art
Bone, Horn, Wood
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Folk Art
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl
Late 20th Century Egyptian Moorish Folk Art
Bronze
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Leather
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
1960s Turkish Vintage Moorish Folk Art
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Canvas
1890s Moroccan Antique Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Iron
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Folk Art
Cotton
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Folk Art
Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Iron
19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Folk Art
Copper
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Folk Art
Metallic Thread
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Folk Art
Brocade, Braid
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic, Pottery
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Brocade
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic, Pottery
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Iron
1940s Turkish Vintage Moorish Folk Art
Velvet
Late 20th Century American Moorish Folk Art
Paper
1970s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Folk Art
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Folk Art
Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Iron
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Mirror, Wood, Paint
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Folk Art
Metal
Late 19th Century Turkish Antique Moorish Folk Art
Wood