Baroque Decorative Art
The decadence of the Baroque style, in which ornate furnishings were layered against paneled walls, painted ceilings, stately chandeliers and, above all, gilding, expressed the power of the church and monarchy through design that celebrated excess. And its influence was omnipresent — antique Baroque furniture was created in the first design style that truly had a global impact.
Theatrical and lavish, Baroque was prevalent across Europe from the 17th to mid-18th century and spread around the world through colonialism, including in Asia, Africa and the Americas. While Baroque originated in Italy and achieved some of its most fantastic forms in the late-period Roman Baroque, it was adapted to meet the tastes and materials in each region. French Baroque furniture informed Louis XIV style and added drama to Versailles. In Spain, the Baroque movement influenced the elaborate Churrigueresque style in which architecture was dripping with ornamental details. In South German Baroque, furniture was made with bold geometric patterns.
Compared to Renaissance furniture, which was more subdued in its proportions, Baroque furniture was extravagant in all aspects, from its shape to its materials.
Allegorical and mythical figures were often sculpted in the wood, along with motifs like scrolling floral forms and acanthus leaves that gave the impression of tangles of dense foliage. Novel techniques and materials such as marquetry, gesso and lacquer — which were used with exotic woods and were employed by cabinetmakers such as André-Charles Boulle, Gerrit Jensen and James Moore — reflected the growth of international trade. Baroque furniture characteristics include a range of decorative elements — a single furnishing could feature everything from carved gilded wood to gilt bronze, lending chairs, mirrors, console tables and other pieces a sense of motion.
Find a collection of authentic antique Baroque tables, lighting, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Italian Baroque Decorative Art
Pottery
17th Century Portuguese Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Porcelain
17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Paper
17th Century German Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Copper
18th Century German Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Glass, Giltwood, Lacquer, Paper
17th Century Peruvian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood, Paint
17th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Other
Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Decorative Art
Faience, Pottery
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
17th Century French Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Paper
Mid-20th Century European Baroque Decorative Art
Pottery
17th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Bronze, Other
1960s American Vintage Baroque Decorative Art
Ceramic
Early 1700s Belgian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wool
Early 17th Century Spanish Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Walnut
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
Late 20th Century Portuguese Baroque Decorative Art
Delft, Faience, Terracotta
Mid-19th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Fabric, Canvas, Paint
1920s Vintage Baroque Decorative Art
Resin
18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Paper, Crayon
Early 18th Century Dutch Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Paper
1730s German Antique Baroque Decorative Art
17th Century Dutch Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Linen