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.
1880s American Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Canvas
19th Century Irish Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Gold Leaf
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Gesso, Poplar
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Silk
17th Century Belgian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Tapestry
17th Century Dutch Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Paint, Canvas
18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Quartz, Rock Crystal
18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
Early 20th Century Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
18th Century Belgian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wool
19th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Marble
18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Mirror, Wood
Early 2000s English Baroque Decorative Art
Leather
17th Century German Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Copper
Early 20th Century Swedish Baroque Decorative Art
Copper
18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Canvas
Early 20th Century Unknown Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
17th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Paint, Canvas
18th Century and Earlier Belgian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wool, Tapestry
17th Century German Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Copper
Early 19th Century Dutch Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood, Canvas
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
Late 17th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Brass
Late 17th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Brass
Late 17th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Brass
20th Century Baroque Decorative Art
Canvas, Paint
Mid-18th Century European Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Baroque Decorative Art
Canvas