Moorish Lighting
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
Early 1900s Indian Antique Moorish Lighting
Paper
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Bronze, Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Brass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Lighting
Metal
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
2010s American Moorish Lighting
Resin
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Lighting
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
20th Century Turkish Moorish Lighting
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French Moorish Lighting
Glass
1990s Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Lighting
Bronze
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Iron
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Lighting
Pottery
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
Late 19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Lighting
Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Lighting
Brass
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Iron
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Moorish Lighting
Bronze
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Brass
Early 20th Century French Moorish Lighting
Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century Mexican Moorish Lighting
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Lighting
Bronze, Enamel
2010s American Moorish Lighting
Resin
1970s Zambian Vintage Moorish Lighting
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
1890s Swedish Antique Moorish Lighting
Brass
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Lighting
Brass, Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
19th Century Austrian Antique Moorish Lighting
Bronze
2010s American Moorish Lighting
Brass, Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Moorish Lighting
Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Lighting
Brass, Nickel
Early 20th Century Asian Moorish Lighting
Blown Glass
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Lighting
Metal
Early 20th Century Moorish Lighting
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Lighting
Metal