Neoclassical Furniture
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.
21st Century and Contemporary Persian Neoclassical Furniture
Silk
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Linen, Wood, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Eggshell, Lacquer
1850s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fir
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Linen, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass, Steel
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Copper
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany, Burl
20th Century Persian Neoclassical Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Glass, Giltwood, Paper
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Resin, Lacquer
Early 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
1830s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Upholstery, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Pine
18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
2010s Australian Neoclassical Furniture
Sheepskin
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Ash, Olive, Burl
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Maple
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Copper
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
1820s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Cast Stone
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fir
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Giltwood
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Stoneware
18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
1810s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fir
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
Mid-17th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster
Mid-20th Century European Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster, Marble
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
1960s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Stoneware
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Stone
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass, Bronze
1910s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Brass, Wire
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Linen
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1890s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Silk, Wood
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1950s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Gesso, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Iron
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Gold, Brass
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Clay
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
Neoclassical furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Read More
What Is Ormolu, and Why Are We Talking about It?
This golden material glamorized neoclassical furnishings and transformed upper-crust sitting rooms from France to Philadelphia in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
New York’s Hirschl & Adler Showcases the American Workmanship and Design Panache of Neoclassical Treasures
The gallery's latest exhibition proves that museum-quality pieces entice and inspire, whether in traditional or more modern interiors.
Susanna Salk’s Favorite Designers Show Us How to Play with Patterns
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