Neoclassical Benches
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.
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Plaster, Pine
1880s English Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
1790s German Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
2010s American Neoclassical Benches
Linen, Oak
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
1990s American Neoclassical Benches
Iron
2010s Italian Neoclassical Benches
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Paint
20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Silk, Upholstery, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Steel
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Pine
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Velvet, Wood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Upholstery
2010s American Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood, Birch
1820s American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Iron
1940s Japanese Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Wood
1950s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood, Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Benches
Iron
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Walnut, Giltwood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Linen, Velvet, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Brass
Early 20th Century North American Neoclassical Benches
Hardwood
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood
19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Gold Leaf
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
1990s American Neoclassical Benches
Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Faux Fur
20th Century Swedish Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Birch
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Wrought Iron
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Cherry
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Giltwood, Paint
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
1770s Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Cherry, Upholstery, Wood
1840s Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
1970s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Giltwood
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
1940s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Mirror, Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Benches
Silk, Wood, Lacquer
19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Birch, Fruitwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Chenille, Velvet, Wood