Rococo Furniture
Rococo was an aesthetic movement in the fine and decorative arts in the 18th century that found its inspiration in nature and fostered an overall lightness and delicacy of form, construction and ornament in interior design. Rococo furniture, while greatly influenced by trends in Italy and Germany, is often called Louis XV style — the movement having reached its best expression during that sybaritic French king’s reign.
The term “rococo” is thought to be a portmanteau of the French words rocaille and coquilles — “rock” and “shells” — organic motifs frequently used in architecture and design of the style.
When it comes to authentic Rococo furniture's characteristics, it is above all sensuous and social. The furniture of earlier eras in Europe had been heavy in every sense; the Rococo period saw the appearance of light-framed upholstered armchairs, side chairs and occasional tables that could easily be moved to form conversational circles.
The signal detail of Rococo furniture design is the gently curved cabriole, or S-shaped chair-, table-, and cabinet-leg. It imitates the bend of a tree limb or a flower stem. In a further reference to nature, furnishings were often asymmetrical and painted white, or in soft, pastel shades. Rococo has become a timeless style, and as the furniture pieces presented on 1stDibs demonstrate, its playful, sculptural forms can provide visual excitement to contemporary, clean-lined spaces.
Late 19th Century French Antique Rococo Furniture
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
1910s English Vintage Rococo Furniture
Onyx, Sterling Silver
1930s British Vintage Rococo Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century American Antique Rococo Furniture
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Early 1900s English Antique Rococo Furniture
Sterling Silver
1880s American Antique Rococo Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
1920s English Vintage Rococo Furniture
Silver, Sterling Silver
1890s American Antique Rococo Furniture
Crystal, Sterling Silver
19th Century English Antique Rococo Furniture
Sterling Silver
1970s French Vintage Rococo Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Rococo Furniture
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Rococo Furniture
Sterling Silver, Bronze
Late 19th Century American Antique Rococo Furniture
Sterling Silver