Baroque Armchairs
The decadence of the Baroque style, in which ornate furnishings were layered against paneled walls, painted ceilings, stately chandeliers and, above all, gilding, expressed the power of the church and monarchy through design that celebrated excess. And its influence was omnipresent — antique Baroque furniture was created in the first design style that truly had a global impact.
Theatrical and lavish, Baroque was prevalent across Europe from the 17th to mid-18th century and spread around the world through colonialism, including in Asia, Africa and the Americas. While Baroque originated in Italy and achieved some of its most fantastic forms in the late-period Roman Baroque, it was adapted to meet the tastes and materials in each region. French Baroque furniture informed Louis XIV style and added drama to Versailles. In Spain, the Baroque movement influenced the elaborate Churrigueresque style in which architecture was dripping with ornamental details. In South German Baroque, furniture was made with bold geometric patterns.
Compared to Renaissance furniture, which was more subdued in its proportions, Baroque furniture was extravagant in all aspects, from its shape to its materials.
Allegorical and mythical figures were often sculpted in the wood, along with motifs like scrolling floral forms and acanthus leaves that gave the impression of tangles of dense foliage. Novel techniques and materials such as marquetry, gesso and lacquer — which were used with exotic woods and were employed by cabinetmakers such as André-Charles Boulle, Gerrit Jensen and James Moore — reflected the growth of international trade. Baroque furniture characteristics include a range of decorative elements — a single furnishing could feature everything from carved gilded wood to gilt bronze, lending chairs, mirrors, console tables and other pieces a sense of motion.
Find a collection of authentic antique Baroque tables, lighting, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
1880s Italian Antique Baroque Armchairs
Velvet, Giltwood
Late 19th Century English Antique Baroque Armchairs
Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Baroque Armchairs
Leather, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Baroque Armchairs
Mid-20th Century French Baroque Armchairs
Wood
17th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Armchairs
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Baroque Armchairs
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Armchairs
Leather, Wood, Paint
1960s Italian Vintage Baroque Armchairs
Velvet, Beech
17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Armchairs
Velvet, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Baroque Armchairs
Velvet, Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Baroque Armchairs
Cotton
19th Century European Antique Baroque Armchairs
Oak
1960s Italian Vintage Baroque Armchairs
Velvet
19th Century European Antique Baroque Armchairs
Tapestry, Fruitwood
21st Century and Contemporary European Baroque Armchairs
Brass
1860s English Antique Baroque Armchairs
Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Armchairs
Fabric, Velvet
17th Century French Antique Baroque Armchairs
Walnut
1880s English Antique Baroque Armchairs
Oak
1890s Austrian Antique Baroque Armchairs
Giltwood
Early 18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Armchairs
Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Baroque Armchairs
Cane
Early 18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Armchairs
Wood
Late 17th Century French Antique Baroque Armchairs
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Armchairs
Late 17th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Armchairs
Walnut
1940s Danish Vintage Baroque Armchairs
Leather, Walnut