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 1900s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Iron
Early 1900s Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal, Brass
Early 1900s African Antique Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone, Hardwood
Early 1900s Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Early 1900s Italian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood
Early 1900s Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Wood
20th Century Chinese Moorish Furniture
Iron
Late 18th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Giltwood, Upholstery
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Upholstery, Cane, Wood, Giltwood
1920s Japanese Vintage Moorish Furniture
Lacquer
Early 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Wood, Upholstery
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass, Copper
19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Marble
1960s American Vintage Moorish Furniture
Upholstery, Hardwood
1920s French Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood, Paint, Giltwood
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Upholstery
Mid-19th Century Chinese Antique Moorish Furniture
Stone
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s Antique Moorish Furniture
Mahogany
Early 1900s Egyptian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone, Mahogany
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Hardwood
Early 1900s English Antique Moorish Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 1900s Italian Antique Moorish Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s Italian Antique Moorish Furniture
Early 1900s Spanish Antique Moorish Furniture
Early 1900s Italian Antique Moorish Furniture
Parchment Paper