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.
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Stone, Iron
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas, Paint
1860s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Fruitwood, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Persian Neoclassical Furniture
Wool
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Persian Neoclassical Furniture
Wool
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Cherry
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Wool, Yarn
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Maple
20th Century Spanish Neoclassical Furniture
Iron, Metal, Gold Leaf, Wrought Iron
1990s French Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Oak
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Stoneware
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Gold, Brass
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
1990s American Neoclassical Furniture
Limestone
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1990s Chinese Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 18th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1930s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze, Copper
20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Paint
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
1990s American Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Hardwood, Giltwood
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1930s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
1930s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Cane, Wood, Paint
1990s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain, Fabric
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Poplar