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.
1930s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
1850s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Chestnut, Walnut
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Giltwood
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster
1840s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Olive, Rosewood, Walnut, Holly
Early 20th Century Danish Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Creamware
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Cherry
1990s French Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Stained Glass, Pine
1820s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
1890s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
1790s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Maple
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Hardwood
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Neoclassical Furniture
Velvet, Feathers
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Rock Crystal, Tin
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Stone
1990s English Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
Late 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Carrara Marble, Brass
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1990s American Neoclassical Furniture
Alabaster, Bronze
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Foam, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary European Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
Mid-19th Century Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Blown Glass
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Ormolu
Early 1900s Hungarian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Oak, Pine
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Copper
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Alpaca
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass
1830s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic, Ironstone
1960s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Steel, Iron
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Paper
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Giltwood
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
Mid-18th Century European Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut, Burl
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Gold, Bronze
Early 1900s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass
1930s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze





