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.
1820s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Birdseye Maple
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Cast Stone
1920s Austrian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Steel, Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Tôle
19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Neoclassical Furniture
Travertine, Wrought Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
Early 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Silver
Early 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Organic Material
1890s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century British Neoclassical Furniture
Cast Stone
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Granite
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Wood, Paint
Mid-19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Hardwood
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Silver
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1890s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1890s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Stone
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood, Paint
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
1810s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany, Yew
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Vermeil, Silver
1880s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
1950s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Giltwood
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster, Paint
1890s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1910s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze, Nickel
Late 20th Century Zimbabwean Neoclassical Furniture
Hardwood
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Giltwood
Early 20th Century Austrian Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Granite, Aluminum
1910s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Iron
1960s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1970s British Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Gold, Enamel
16th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Oak, Walnut
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Glass, Plaster
1860s English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble