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.
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Velvet, Maple
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Paper, Glass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Neoclassical Furniture
Travertine, Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Steel, Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
2010s Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
2010s Belgian Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric
2010s European Neoclassical Furniture
Limestone
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Art Glass, Mahogany
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Limestone
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Stone, Limestone, Metal, Iron
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Turkish Neoclassical Furniture
Wool, Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
Early 2000s Unknown Neoclassical Furniture
Malachite
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary French Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Shagreen, Suede
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary French Neoclassical Furniture
Travertine, Wrought Iron
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Cane, Walnut, Lacquer
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary European Neoclassical Furniture
Linen, Velvet, Beads
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Limestone
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
2010s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Gold Leaf, Silver Leaf