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.
1850s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1970s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Velvet, Beech, Pine
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Danish Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Upholstery, Mahogany
1960s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Stoneware
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Blown Glass
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Iron
19th Century Persian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wool
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Poplar, Giltwood
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster, Marble
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Stone, Iron
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Brass, Bronze
Late 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
1930s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Silver Plate
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Wrought Iron
1990s Austrian Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Art Glass, Wood
1990s English Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Cast Stone
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Steel
Mid-19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut, Burl
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
1990s American Neoclassical Furniture
Aluminum
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror
20th Century Hungarian Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Stained Glass, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster, Marble, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
1990s French Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Pine
1930s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Steel
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Cement
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Ironstone
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Blown Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Metal, Brass
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster
1890s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Glass
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Enamel
Early 1900s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Cotton, Chenille
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Maple, Paint
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Cherry





