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Neoclassical Lighting

NEOCLASSICAL STYLE

Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.

Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.

The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.

Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.

Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.

As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.

Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.

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Style: Neoclassical
Gilt Bronze French Chandelier, circa 1930
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine gilt bronze French chandelier. 8-light. Very good detail and craftsmanship, France, circa 1930 Dimensions: 26 inches long x 29 inches diamet...
Category

1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze

Russian 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Marble, Crystal, and Ormolu Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and extremely decorative Russian 19th century Neo-Classical st. white Carrara marble, rock crystal, crystal, and ormolu candelabra lamps. Each three arm lamp is raised by ...
Category

19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal, Rock Crystal, Marble, Ormolu

pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated Bronze and marble lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and high quality pair of French mid 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated Bronze and marble lamps. Each lamp is raised on a black Belgian marble and Vert de Patricia ma...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Bronze

Pair of French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Bronze, Ormolu, and Marble Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking pair of French 19th century neo-classical st. patinated bronze, ormolu and Brèche de Appenninica marble candelabra lamps. Each two armed lamp...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Marble, Ormolu, Bronze

French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Ormolu and Bronze Nine Arm Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A superb French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu and patinated bronze nine arm chandelier. The chandelier is centered by a richly chased bottom acorn finial below the central pa...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of Italian 19th Century Neoclassical Style Giltwood and Glass Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite and large scale pair of Italian 19th century neo-classical st. giltwood and frosted glass Bras de Lumière sconces. Each sconce displays a most decorative circular back p...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Glass, Giltwood

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Vert Patricia Marble Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu and Vert Patricia marble lamp. The lamp is raised by a square Vert Patricia marble stepped base with fine foliate, berried lau...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Marble, Ormolu

Fine and Elegant Neoclassical Gilt Bronze Chandelier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine and elegant neoclassical gilt bronze chandelier. 6-light. France, circa 1910 Dimensions: Height 25" x diameter 23" CW3304.
Category

1910s French Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze

Baltic 18th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu, Crystal and Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning Baltic 18th century neo-classical st. ormolu, crystal and cobalt blue glass six arm, fourteen light chandelier. The chandelier is centered by a ...
Category

18th Century Baltic Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Italian 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Lantern
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most unique and high quality Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze and ormolu lantern. The lantern displays three charming and wonderfully executed winged cherubs...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Italian 19th Century Neoclassical St. Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Lantern
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A most unique and high quality Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze and ormolu hanging lantern. The lantern has three charming and expressive winged cherubs with r...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Lamps in the Manner of Clodion
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. Black Belgian marble, ormolu and patinated bronze lamps in the manner of Clodion after a model by John Flaxman. Each lamp is raised by a beautiful circular mottled black Belgian marble base below the striking patinated bronze socle pedestal with fitted ormolu flutes. The patinated bronze body displays finely chased cherubs playing in a field on one side, and on the other side picking grapes out of a basket. To each side are wonderfully detailed animal...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Patinated Bronze and Marble Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A handsome pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze and Vert de Patricia marble lamps, in the manner of Clodion and after a model by John Flaxman. Each lamp is ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Italian 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Crystal, Giltwood & Iron Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and large scale Italian 19th century Neo-Classical st. gilt metal, giltwood, iron and crystal chandelier. The twenty four arm chandelier is centered by a fine mottled bott...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal, Metal, Iron

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Bronze and Ormolu Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking and large scale French 19th century neo-classical st. patinated bronze, ormolu and faux painted Porphyry lamp. The lamp is raised by ormolu ball feet below a most decorati...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very attractive 19th century Neo-Classical st. metal lamp with a patinated bronze finish. The lamp is raised on a square base with a bronze color border of acanthus leaves. Above i...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Metal, Bronze

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Bronze and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and most charming French 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze and ormolu six light chandelier. The chandelier is centered by a lovely bottom ormolu final below the patinated bronze body decorated with lovely foliate movements. Each of the six ormolu arms display detailed acanthus leaf designs and center the charming and finely detailed patinated bronze cherub who holds his ormolu bow. Leading up three chain is the striking top crown with a beautiful wrap around ormolu lattice band...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of French Mid 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Candelabra Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sensational and most elegant pair of French mid 19th century Neo-Classical st. four arm electrified candelabras in ormolu and silvered bronze. The pair are raised by circular ormol...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of French 19th Century Neoclassical Style ‘Aux Victoires’ Candelabra Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu, patinated bronze and Rouge Royale marble 'Aux Victoires' candelabra lamps. Each lamp is raised by four fine reeded to...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

Set of Six French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Three-Arm Ormolu Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning high quality complete set of six French 19th century Neo-Classical st. three arm ormolu sconces. Each sconce in centered by a striking pierced palmette backplate from wher...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Ormolu

Pair of Italian 19th Century Neoclassical St. Giltwood Bras De Lumiere Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An impressive and large scale pair of Italian 19th century neoclassical St. giltwood Bras de Lumiere sconces. Each two-arm sconce is centered by a striking richly carved backplate wi...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Giltwood

Silver-Plated Eight Light Crystal Chandelier
Located in London, GB
A fine silver plated (unusually thick silver plate on copper) eight-light, crystal chandelier with the original gadrooned ceiling rose, in the neoclassical manner, early 20th century.
Category

Early 20th Century Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal

Pair of French 19th Century Neo-Classical Onyx, Ormolu and Cloisonné Lamps
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking pair of French 19th century Neo-Classical onyx, ormolu and Cloisonné lamps. Each lamp is raised by fine ormolu topie shaped feet below the square onyx base with an elegant wrap around mottled foliate ormolu band. The socle pedestal displays a wonderfully executed Cloisonné design and a fluted ormolu support encasing the beautifully shaped onyx body. At each side are elegant ormolu handles with foliate and palmettes designs leading up to the striking Cloisonné neck. Displayed with our signature two tone pin tuck silk Cedric DuPont Antique...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Onyx, Ormolu

French 19th Century Neo-Classical Verde Antico Marble Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An attractive and unusual French 19th century Neo-Classical Verde Antico marble, patinated bronze and ormolu lamp with all original gilt & patina throughout. The lamp has a triangula...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Marble, Bronze, Ormolu

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Maple and Ormolu Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An exceptional French 19th century Neo-Classical st. maple and ormolu chandelier. The chandelier is centered by a fine bottom inverted finial of the eternal flame amidst carved maple...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Ormolu

Pair of French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Ormolu Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking and high quality pair of French 19th century neo-classical st. ormolu sconces. Each five arm sconce is centered by an exceptional foliate backplate from where the elegant ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Ormolu

French 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Baccarat Crystal Chandelier
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking French 19th century neo-classical st. ormolu and Baccarat crystal chandelier. The twelve arm fifteen light chandelier is centered by an elegant richly chased acorn finial ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Antique Large Bronze Neoclassical Caldwell Wall Sconce Four Arms
Located in Toledo, OH
Bronze Neo Classical Caldwell heavy cast ornate wall sconce. Adorned with fruit and a fluted body. Stamped on back. Four arms, electric. Dimensions...
Category

Early 20th Century North American Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze

Lamp Decorated with Brass Stilt Decors, circa 1950
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Lamp decorated with brass stilt decors, circa 1950.
Category

1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Brass

Italian Silver Gilt Urns Converted into Small Lamps Hand Made Shades With Silver
Located in Buchanan, MI
Very nice 18th century Italian urns converted into lamps with custon parchment shades, silver leaf. These would be charming sconces on wall brackets. ...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Silver, Vermeil

Pair of Sconces in Bronze Neolassical
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of bronze sconces in the style neoclassical, very decorative and rare.
Category

1910s French Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze

pair of antique French 1940 bronze sconces
Located in Los Angeles, CA
remember we have over three thousand antique sconces and over one thousand antique lights, we can not put everything on 1stdibs, if you need a specific pair of sconces or lights, ask...
Category

1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Candleholders, Calamine, Marble, France, 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Pair of candlesticks made in calamine on dark marble bases that have two sculptures of children in similar positions. The proportions, positions, decorative elements, etc. of these t...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Marble, Other

Antique Gilt Metal and Tole Table Lamp
Located in London, GB
A beautiful antique gilt metal and tole table lamp, made in England and dating from around the 1920’s. It is of superb quality, with fine and intricate details. The tole shade is or...
Category

1920s British Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Metal

Large Wall Lamp in Lacquered Metal, Bronze and Glass, circa 1950
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large wall lamp in lacquered metal, bronze and glass, circa 1950 with its bronze fixing hook.
Category

1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Twisted Crystal Table Lamp
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Crystal lamp with blue inlay from the 1960s Base 9" / 9" / 16" H Lamp was rewired Located in Brooklyn.
Category

Mid-20th Century European Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal

20th Century Classicist Style Swedish Ceiling Chandelier
Located in Berlin, DE
Large Swedish ceiling chandelier in classicist style. Solid, silvered brass. Hangings from finely ground crystal. (F-Ra-61).
Category

20th Century Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal, Brass

19th Century French Neoclassical Style Pair of Ormolu Gilt D'appliques, C.1870
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th century French pair of ormolu wall mounted bronze d'appliques figural wall lights. This pair of lights applied with a beautifully model...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of Neoclassical Porcelain Lamps
Located in NYC, NY
A pair of 19th century neoclassical porcelain vases with bronze doré mounts converted to lamps, decorated with hand-painted classical motifs in the manner of Sevres porcelain. France...
Category

1880s French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Porcelain

Set of Three Neoclassical Gilt Bronze Wall Lights
Located in London, GB
Set of three Neoclassical gilt bronze wall lights French, c. 1890 Measures: Height 56cm, width 40cm, depth 32cm This set of three wall lights is crafted in a Neoclassical, Frenc...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Patinated Bronze and Ormolu Lamp
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A very handsome French 19th century Neo-Classical st. patinated bronze and ormolu vase mounted into a lamp, signed E. Picault. The lamp is raised on ormolu ball feet below the circul...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze, Ormolu

Pair of French 19th Century Neo-Classical St. Ormolu Three Arm Sconces
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A striking pair of French 19th century neo-classical st. ormolu three arm sconces. Each sconce is centered by a beautiful bottom palmette. At the centers are most decorative circular...
Category

19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Ormolu

Rock Crystal Candlestick Table Lamp
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rock Crystal from Madagascar in the form of a Neoclassical designed lamp. Silver metal spacers and base plate. New 18" linen shade.
Category

20th Century American Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Rock Crystal, Metal

Pair of 19th Century Neoclassical Style Ormolu and Crystal Chandeliers
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A stunning and very high quality pair of Baltic 19th century Neo-Classical st. ormolu and crystal chandeliers. Each eight arm chandelier is centered by a charming richly chased botto...
Category

19th Century Baltic Antique Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Crystal, Ormolu

Unique Antique American Caldwell Neoclassical Gilt and Patina Bronze Chandelier
Located in New York, NY
A unique antique American Caldwell neoclassical circular chandelier in gilt and patinated bronze, suspended by four chains attached to a ceiling canopy decorated with acanthus relief...
Category

Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Lighting

Materials

Bronze

Neoclassical lighting for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Neoclassical lighting 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 lighting created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include lighting, decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Neoclassical lighting made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original lighting, popular names associated with this style include Edward F. Caldwell & Co., Workstead, Maison Baguès, and Gherardo Degli Albizzi. 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 lighting differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $140 and tops out at $240,000 while the average work can sell for $3,427.

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