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.
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Cotton, Velvet, Down
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
1840s English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Glass
1950s European Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
1980s Portuguese Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
1890s English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Ash, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
1960s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1960s Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
1950s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal
1970s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
1880s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Uranium Glass
18th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Late 19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1920s Unknown Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
1820s English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Murano Glass