Moorish Corner Chairs
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Late 19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Wood, Shell
Late 19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century Egyptian Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Corner Chairs
Leather, Walnut
Early 20th Century European Moorish Corner Chairs
Mohair, Walnut
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1890s French Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Upholstery, Velvet, Walnut
Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century Syrian Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Bone, Shell, Walnut
19th Century English Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Oak
Mid-19th Century French Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Oak
Late 20th Century Italian Moorish Corner Chairs
Metal
Early 19th Century Chinese Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Elm
Late 19th Century German Antique Moorish Corner Chairs
Satinwood, Walnut
