Spanish Colonial Settees
After the conquest of Mexico in 1521 and the Philippines in 1565, Spain dictated a global culture. The colonization of territories in the Americas, Western Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Pacific imposed the values of Spain, including Catholicism, while the extraction of resources reinforced the empire’s wealth and power. Unlike many styles that came out of European colonialism, such as British Colonial, Spanish Colonial furniture and architecture frequently mixed local heritage with the artistic traditions of Spain.
Spanish Colonial furniture was informed by the shifting styles of Europe as well as Indigenous culture. There were Inca tapestries depicting Spanish coats of arms and Baroque chairs adorned with tropical flora. The butaca, a low easy chair popular in the Caribbean, was inspired by Rococo’s curving forms and the shape of precolonial seating. In New Mexico, Pueblo artisans carved chests with patterns reminiscent of Anasazi art.
Even within the homes of the wealthy, furniture was usually restricted to necessities like benches, desks, cupboards and chests. These were often ornately designed and especially important for storing prized goods like textiles. Spanish Colonial houses were built with adobe and clay and tended to be minimally decorated, so the style’s heavily carved wooden furniture pieces stood out against a home’s white stucco walls.
The Spanish Colonial period mostly came to an end after the territories achieved independence from Spain. However, its aesthetics continued to influence Southwestern style and Spanish Colonial Revival style after Spanish Colonial style was used extensively at San Diego’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
Find a collection of antique Spanish Colonial chairs, tables, bedroom furniture and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Bronze
1990s American Spanish Colonial Settees
Textile, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Spanish Colonial Settees
Paint, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Spanish Colonial Settees
Wood
1980s American Vintage Spanish Colonial Settees
Canvas, Wood, Paint
19th Century English Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Walnut
18th Century French Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Upholstery, Walnut
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Walnut
Late 18th Century Spanish Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Pine
19th Century English Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Hardwood, Paint
19th Century Swedish Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Iron
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Oak
2010s Argentine Spanish Colonial Settees
Leather, Sheepskin
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Upholstery, Wood
2010s Brazilian Spanish Colonial Settees
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Settees
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary North American Spanish Colonial Settees
Velvet
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Settees
Velvet, Walnut
Early 20th Century Spanish Spanish Colonial Settees
Velvet, Walnut
Late 20th Century Spanish Colonial Settees
Teak
21st Century and Contemporary Mexican Spanish Colonial Settees
Canvas, Walnut
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
Wrought Iron
1970s Mexican Vintage Spanish Colonial Settees
Leather, Wood
18th Century Antique Spanish Colonial Settees
20th Century American Spanish Colonial Settees
1930s Guatemalan Vintage Spanish Colonial Settees
Wood