Neoclassical Decorative Art
NEOCLASSICAL STYLE
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.
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Item type: Antique and Vintage
Style: Neoclassical
Fran Larsen Signed Southwestern Art Watercolor Painting and Frame
By Fran Larsen
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Fran Larsen (signed) watercolor with matching painted frame which is an extension of her art. Signed Larsen. Ready to hang on your wall.
Category
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paint
American Oil Framed Landscape on Academy Board, Hudson Valley, Circa 1820
Located in Hollywood, SC
American school oil landscape on academy board in the original gold gilt molded frame. Landscape depicts Hudson Valley with mountains in the background, trees in the foreground and a...
Category
1820s American Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Giltwood
Swedish Neoclassical Giltwood Cartel
Located in Kittery Point, ME
The Arabic numeral dial signed A.M. Blomberg, Stockholm, the case elaborately carved with opposing cornucopias, birds and branches, raised on a bracket decorated with shells and acan...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Giltwood
Pair of Neoclassical Landscape Drawings, French School, Late 18th Century
Located in Kittery Point, ME
Depicting a pastoral scene and a hillside view.
Ink on paper.
One is signed Waudelaincourt fecit
Antoine Hubert Wandelaincourt, French (1731-1819).
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Edgar Brandt Inspired Wrought Iron Screen or Room Divider
Located in Houston, TX
Edgar Brandt inspired wrought iron screen or room divider.
Fabulous one of a kind antique Neoclassical style three-panel hand forged heavy weight wrought iron screen or room divider,...
Category
1920s Unknown Vintage Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Wrought Iron
18th Century Portrait Color Engraving, Original Frame, 'A Saint Giles's Beauty'
Located in Stamford, CT
Stipple and etching, printed in dark brown ink with hand-coloring. Likely the original late 18th century frame and thus the print is in excellent condition.
Print made by Francesco Bartolozzi...
Category
Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
18th c. Italian Gilt Carved and Painted Wall Plaques
Located in New York, NY
Eighteenth century Italian Neoclassical wall plaques with white painted oval backs adorned with gilt carved helmets and laurel wreaths.
Category
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Gold Leaf
William Hamilton First Edition Frontispiece
Located in New York, NY
William Hamilton first edition frontispiece. Hand-colored original engraved frontispiece plate from the first edition of the "Collection of Etruscan, Greek and Roman Antiquities...
Category
Mid-18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Italian Gilt Wood and Painted Floral Oval Dressing - Shaving Mirror, Circa 1820
Located in Hollywood, SC
Italian gilt and painted oval dressing - shaving mirror with decorative scrolled floral cartouche, flanking bell flowers, interior decorative lambs tongue frame resting on acanthus carved step back...
Category
1820s Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paint, Wood, Glass, Gesso
Botanical Still Life with Insects, Continental, Early 19th Century
Located in Downingtown, PA
A fine continental botanical still life painting with insects,
possibly Scandinavian,
Gouache and oil on vellum,
early 19th century.
The painting is stunning. The painting with...
Category
Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paint
Italian, 18th Century Decorative Panel
By Bonzanigo
Located in New York, NY
A neoclassical painted and gilded overdoor panel in the manner of Giuseppe Maria Bonzanigo, circa 1790.
Category
1790s Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
Late 18th Century French Grisaille Painting
Located in Rome, IT
Late 18th century French Grisaille Painting, oil on canvas.
Mythological scene with the Greek God Pan and dancing putto figures with ivory painted an...
Category
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Canvas
Italian Pietra Dura Sample Panel, Probably Florence, 19th Century
Located in Spencertown, NY
The samples include porphyry, breccia and various other marble examples, framed in slate.
Category
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Marble
Antique Persian Sarouk Ferehan Scatter Rug
Located in New York, NY
Super quality early 20th century Persian Sarouk Ferehan carpet. Deep red field and border with a navy blue medallion and accents in blue and green.
Measures: ''3'5'' x 4'10''.
Category
20th Century Persian Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Wool
Monumental Framed Oil on Canvas Pastural Landscape
Located in Essex, MA
By Hans Jacob Maurer, signed and dated J.B Maurer, 1780. Stylistically, this painting is reminiscent of the plein air and fete champetre movements of the French, 18th century court p...
Category
Late 18th Century Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Other
Large Pair of Circular, Patinated Bronze Relief Plaques of Night and Day
Located in London, GB
A pair of patinated bronze antique plaques of Night and Day
French, Late 19th Century
80cm in diameter, 5cm in depth
Modelled after Bertel Thorvaldsen's iconic 'Night and Day' relie...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Specimen Marble Plaques of Differing Urns and Vases, Italian
Located in Spencertown, NY
Italian, 20th century
Each plaque containing 15 examples of vases/urns using different marbles for each, for a total of 30 examples.
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Marble
Pair of rectangular porcelain plates with antique scenes, early 19th century
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of rectangular plates in porcelain representing antique scenes on cartouches with languished odalisques and nymphs and surrounded by putti in greyness. First frame in the medieval style and gold color; second one in celestial blue, reminding the color created by the chemist...
Category
1830s French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Ceramic, Porcelain
Print French 19th Century Black and White France
Located in New York, NY
Print French 19th Century Black and White France. A copper print made during the 19th century in France Framed in a blackened wooden frame.
Category
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Pair of Neoclassical Scenes on Paper with Custom Colored with Gild Detail Frame
Located in Carmel, CA
This is a handsome pair of neoclassical prints on paper. The buff matting has a gold bead and the custom frame is hand colored with a gilded bevel edge.
Category
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paper
Signed Oil on Board Painting of a House by Artist Roger Hayward Circa 1957
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oil on board painting by artist Roger Hayward (1899-1979), depicting the entrance to a Victorian-style home as seen from the street below. With a wonderf...
Category
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
A Monumental Italian Neoclassic Triumphal Military Wall Plaque
Located in New York, NY
Roman fruitwood trophy wall plaque carved with the forms of armor, halberds, and other military regalia.
Category
18th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Fruitwood
Pair of Late 18th Century Fragments
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Pair of wall hangings, each antique fragment having painted and gilded frame with leaf detail, surrounding a classical carved giltwood face surmo...
Category
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Giltwood, Wood
18th c. Italian Neoclassical Etchings Of Antiquities, Oil Lamps of Herculaneum
Located in Stamford, CT
Set of 12 framed copper etched plates depicting various ancient oil lamps and candelabra excavated from Herculaneum in the 18th century. These high qua...
Category
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Set of Six Framed and Matted Duck Prints
Located in Locust Valley, NY
Gold framed and matted prints of 6 types of waterfowl with Latin Nomenclature.
Includes: Colymbus Septentrionalis (Red-Throated Loon), Anser Ferus (...
Category
20th Century American Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paint
Mid century vintage framed royal Copenhagen bisque medallions/Taglio’s
Located in Allentown, PA
This is a framed complementary pair of royal Copenhagen porcelain disc medallions. This pair of porcelain medallions are mounted on a natural light in background with a French countr...
Category
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Porcelain
Mid century vintage framed royal Copenhagen bisque medallions/Taglio’s
Located in Allentown, PA
This is a framed complementary pair of royal Copenhagen porcelain disc medallions. This pair of porcelain medallions are mounted on a natural linen background with a French country i...
Category
1970s German Vintage Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Porcelain
Mountainous Vintage Oil Painting by Alan Healey Americana Cowboy, 1980s
Located in London, GB
An interesting vintage painting signed by Alan Healey and painted in the 1980s, depicting an older man wearing a red jumper and big hat within a mountainous...
Category
1980s British Vintage Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Acrylic, Wood
Italian Neoclassical Style Oil on Board
Located in Cypress, CA
Highly decorative Italian neoclassical style oil on board painting with cherubs and swags decorated in a foliate motif, centered by a floral oval...
Category
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Wood
Neoclassical Cast Iron Relief of Day by Bertel Thorvaldsen
Located in Stamford, CT
The original reliefs night and day were executed by Thorvaldsen in 1815. Day personified flies actively across the sky with her head held high. She looks over her shoulder and fixes ...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Bronze
Late 18th Century Neoclassical French Fashion Engraving Print, François Boucher
Located in Miami, FL
A fine crisp impression of great rarity; it is particularly unusual to find a 18th century color engraving print of this quality and condition in today’s print market.
Rare engravin...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
18th Century Neoclassical French Fashion Engraving Print, François Boucher
Located in Miami, FL
A fine crisp impression of great rarity; it is particularly unusual to find a color engraving of this quality and condition in today’s print market.
Rare engraving print by famed ar...
Category
Late 18th Century French Antique Neoclassical Decorative Art
Materials
Paper
Neoclassical decorative art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Neoclassical decorative art for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative art created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with ceramic, porcelain and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Neoclassical decorative art made in a specific country, there are England, Europe, and United Kingdom pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative art, popular names associated with this style include François Boucher, John James Audubon, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and Sir William Hamilton. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative art differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,875 and tops out at $2,500 while the average work can sell for $2,188.