Neoclassical Armchairs
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.
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Armchairs
Alpaca
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Armchairs
Metal
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Late 18th Century American Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Armchairs
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Armchairs
Cane
19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Silk
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Silver Leaf
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Armchairs
Chrome
1930s French Vintage Neoclassical Armchairs
Leather, Beech
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Giltwood
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Wood
Early 20th Century European Neoclassical Armchairs
Upholstery, Elm
1780s French Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Beech
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Armchairs
Wood, Velvet
Mid-20th Century British Neoclassical Armchairs
Leather, Mahogany
20th Century Neoclassical Armchairs
Faux Leather
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Armchairs
Steel
1930s Hungarian Vintage Neoclassical Armchairs
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Neoclassical Armchairs
Wood, Velvet, Cane
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Armchairs
Brass
20th Century American Neoclassical Armchairs
Hardwood, Leather
20th Century American Neoclassical Armchairs
Leather, Hardwood
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Armchairs
Chrome
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Armchairs
Metal
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Armchairs
Brass, Iron
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Armchairs
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Armchairs
Aluminum
20th Century American Neoclassical Armchairs
Faux Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Armchairs
20th Century Neoclassical Armchairs
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Armchairs
Wool