Rococo Chairs
Rococo was an aesthetic movement in the fine and decorative arts in the 18th century that found its inspiration in nature and fostered an overall lightness and delicacy of form, construction and ornament in interior design. Rococo furniture, while greatly influenced by trends in Italy and Germany, is often called Louis XV style — the movement having reached its best expression during that sybaritic French king’s reign.
The term “rococo” is thought to be a portmanteau of the French words rocaille and coquilles — “rock” and “shells” — organic motifs frequently used in architecture and design of the style.
When it comes to authentic Rococo furniture's characteristics, it is above all sensuous and social. The furniture of earlier eras in Europe had been heavy in every sense; the Rococo period saw the appearance of light-framed upholstered armchairs, side chairs and occasional tables that could easily be moved to form conversational circles.
The signal detail of Rococo furniture design is the gently curved cabriole, or S-shaped chair-, table-, and cabinet-leg. It imitates the bend of a tree limb or a flower stem. In a further reference to nature, furnishings were often asymmetrical and painted white, or in soft, pastel shades. Rococo has become a timeless style, and as the furniture pieces presented on 1stDibs demonstrate, its playful, sculptural forms can provide visual excitement to contemporary, clean-lined spaces.
Mid-20th Century British Rococo Chairs
Composition
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Chairs
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Chairs
Upholstery, Walnut
1950s French Vintage Rococo Chairs
18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Chairs
Silver Leaf
Late 19th Century European Antique Rococo Chairs
Brass
19th Century French Antique Rococo Chairs
Wood
Early 20th Century Chinese Rococo Chairs
Rosewood
1950s American Vintage Rococo Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century European Rococo Chairs
Oak
1950s French Vintage Rococo Chairs
Fabric, Oak
Mid-20th Century European Rococo Chairs
Velvet, Oak
1920s Swedish Vintage Rococo Chairs
Velvet, Oak
1950s French Vintage Rococo Chairs
Straw, Ash
1950s Belgian Vintage Rococo Chairs
Oak
2010s Spanish Rococo Chairs
Wrought Iron