Moorish Furniture
After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Early 20th Century Tunisian Moorish Furniture
Aluminum
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
1980s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Paint
1990s Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric, Wool
20th Century Maghreb Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
1860s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Earthenware
19th Century British Antique Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century English Antique Moorish Furniture
Glass, Walnut
1920s Vintage Moorish Furniture
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Braid
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century German Antique Moorish Furniture
Gold
1920s Spanish Vintage Moorish Furniture
Metal
19th Century Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1880s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone
Late 20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Wool
19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
