Baroque Furniture
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.
1990s Belgian Baroque Furniture
Canvas
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Wool
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver, Enamel
1990s Vietnamese Baroque Furniture
Iron
1990s French Baroque Furniture
Plaster
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Textile, Wood
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Baroque Furniture
Glass
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s French Baroque Furniture
Metal, Bronze
1990s Colombian Baroque Furniture
Canvas, Paint
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver, Gold Plate, Enamel
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Wood
1990s Baroque Furniture
Silver Leaf
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Ceramic, Majolica
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Pewter
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Pewter
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Paper
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1970s Vintage Baroque Furniture
Velvet
20th Century Italian Baroque Furniture
Wool
1980s Italian Vintage Baroque Furniture
Silk
1960s Danish Vintage Baroque Furniture
Teak
1980s Chinese Vintage Baroque Furniture
Wool
1980s Chinese Vintage Baroque Furniture
Wool
1980s American Vintage Baroque Furniture
Cotton, Wood
Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Furniture
Canvas
1970s American Vintage Baroque Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Late 18th Century European Antique Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
Late 20th Century Indian Baroque Furniture
Wool
1940s English Vintage Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Walnut
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Chenille, Walnut
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Bronze
1990s Baroque Furniture
Marble, Silver Leaf
1990s French Baroque Furniture
Crystal
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s Italian Baroque Furniture
Sterling Silver
1990s French Baroque Furniture
Cast Stone
1990s Swedish Baroque Furniture
Paper
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Brass
1990s American Baroque Furniture
Maple
1990s German Baroque Furniture
Wood