Neoclassical Stools
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.
1810s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Wood
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Stools
Iron
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Stools
Brass
1940s Vintage Neoclassical Stools
Brass, Steel
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Stools
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Stools
Mahogany, Upholstery
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Stools
Bronze, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Linen, Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Stools
Brass
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Stools
Steel
Early 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Stools
Upholstery, Rosewood, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Indonesian Neoclassical Stools
Wood
20th Century American Neoclassical Stools
Wrought Iron
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Textile, Upholstery, Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Stools
Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Stools
Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Stools
Giltwood
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Upholstery, Wood
20th Century American Neoclassical Stools
Aluminum
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Stools
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Stools
Upholstery
1780s Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Upholstery, Wood, Giltwood
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Stools
Majolica, Pottery
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Stools
Leather, Canvas
1810s Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Walnut
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Stools
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Stools
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Stools
Brass
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Stools
Giltwood
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Silk, Wood, Giltwood
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Stools
Berlin Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Stools
Leather
18th Century Spanish Antique Neoclassical Stools
Other
1890s Danish Antique Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Stools
Silk, Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Textile, Wood, Walnut
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Stools
Metal, Iron
2010s Italian Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
2010s Italian Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
1810s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Stools
Brass
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Stools
Majolica, Pottery
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Bamboo
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Stools
Leather
1750s French Antique Neoclassical Stools
Velvet, Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Cherry
Mid-19th Century Danish Antique Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Mahogany
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Wood
1860s French Antique Neoclassical Stools
Velvet, Beech
1780s Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood
1860s French Antique Neoclassical Stools
Fabric, Mahogany, Paint
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Neoclassical Stools
Walnut
Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Stools
Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Stools
Mahogany
18th Century British Antique Neoclassical Stools
Brass