Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
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.
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Mohair, Hardwood
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Hardwood
20th Century Danish Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Plastic
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Mid-20th Century Japanese Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Tin
1960s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1930s British Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Pine
20th Century Japanese Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Early 20th Century British Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal, Tin
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Leather
Mid-20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Pewter
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Iron
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Metal
Early 20th Century German Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Sterling Silver, Steel
1980s Dutch Vintage Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Toys and Dolls
Wood