Neoclassical Chairs
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 1900s Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Walnut
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Walnut
1810s French Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Mahogany
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Wood
1820s Russian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Giltwood
Early 19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Wood
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Oak, Velvet
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
1940s European Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
1940s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Fruitwood
1930s American Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Wood, Paint
Late 19th Century Scottish Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Leather, Mahogany, Giltwood
1850s Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Chairs
Wood, Beech, Palisander
1970s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Wood
Late 18th Century German Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Cherry
1950s European Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Cherry
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Walnut
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Walnut, Velvet
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Chairs
Faux Bamboo, Cane, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Chairs
Faux Leather, Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Velvet, Wood
20th Century Neoclassical Chairs
Linen, Wood, Paint