Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
The decadence of the Baroque style, in which ornate furnishings were layered against paneled walls, painted ceilings, stately chandeliers and, above all, gilding, expressed the power of the church and monarchy through design that celebrated excess. And its influence was omnipresent — antique Baroque furniture was created in the first design style that truly had a global impact.
Theatrical and lavish, Baroque was prevalent across Europe from the 17th to mid-18th century and spread around the world through colonialism, including in Asia, Africa and the Americas. While Baroque originated in Italy and achieved some of its most fantastic forms in the late-period Roman Baroque, it was adapted to meet the tastes and materials in each region. French Baroque furniture informed Louis XIV style and added drama to Versailles. In Spain, the Baroque movement influenced the elaborate Churrigueresque style in which architecture was dripping with ornamental details. In South German Baroque, furniture was made with bold geometric patterns.
Compared to Renaissance furniture, which was more subdued in its proportions, Baroque furniture was extravagant in all aspects, from its shape to its materials.
Allegorical and mythical figures were often sculpted in the wood, along with motifs like scrolling floral forms and acanthus leaves that gave the impression of tangles of dense foliage. Novel techniques and materials such as marquetry, gesso and lacquer — which were used with exotic woods and were employed by cabinetmakers such as André-Charles Boulle, Gerrit Jensen and James Moore — reflected the growth of international trade. Baroque furniture characteristics include a range of decorative elements — a single furnishing could feature everything from carved gilded wood to gilt bronze, lending chairs, mirrors, console tables and other pieces a sense of motion.
Find a collection of authentic antique Baroque tables, lighting, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-19th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
20th Century Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Beech
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
17th Century German Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Bronze
18th Century Danish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
20th Century American Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
17th Century British Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Ebony, Walnut
17th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Chestnut
Early 19th Century French Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Brass
17th Century British Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Oak
1780s German Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
2010s American Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Metal
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Late 17th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Early 18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Pine
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Wood
Mid-18th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Iron
Early 1700s Italian Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Walnut
18th Century Danish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Mid-18th Century Danish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Late 18th Century Danish Antique Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
21st Century and Contemporary British Baroque Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Glass