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.
Late 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
1930s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Resin
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Stoneware
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Pottery, Stoneware
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1990s American Neoclassical Furniture
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Burl
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Maple, Paint
Late 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Nickel
1910s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Fruitwood, Olive
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass, Bronze
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Nickel
1980s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Stone, Cement
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Nickel
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Steel, Iron
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
1910s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Linen, Wood
1920s German Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Pottery
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Aluminum
Early 1900s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Carrara Marble, Brass
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Metal, Brass
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Bronze
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Burl, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Cotton, Chenille
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Cement
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Stoneware
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Glass, Cherry
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Stoneware
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver