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.
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood, Birch
1810s Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Walnut
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
Late 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Benches
Silk, Wood, Lacquer
1890s French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fruitwood, Paint
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Walnut
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany, Pine
1840s Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass, Wrought Iron
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wrought Iron
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood
1810s American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Mahogany
Late 19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Late 19th Century Belgian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Cane
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Benches
Hardwood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
1880s English Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Cherry
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass
1830s American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Upholstery
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Paint
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Birdseye Maple
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Faux Fur
19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fruitwood, Upholstery, Birch
1830s American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Paint, Wood
1820s American Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Brass
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood, Upholstery
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Gold Leaf
1830s Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Pine
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Walnut