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.
Large Vintage Hunt's 3 Ring Circus Date Poster 28" x 42", circa 1920's
By Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Christopher Wool
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Hunt's Three Ring Circus Date Poster 28" x 41 5/8" September 11th, circa 1920's "poster / circus is from the northeast" "large original circus date poster" "in very good vintage as...
Paper
$998Sale Price|25% Off
Raging Bull Original Movie Poster Robert De Niro Martin Scorcese 1980
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Raging Bull Jake LaMotta iconic original movie poster biopic starring Robert de Niro & directed by Martin Scorsese 1980 artist Kunio Hagio Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moria...
Paper
$240Sale Price|20% Off
Old Palace Theatre Yellow Movie Poster Maisie Tarzan West Salem IL
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Old Palace Theatre Movie Poster Maisie Tarzan and more West Salem IL Admission 10 cents! 14 x 22 Preowned frayed unrestored vintage condition See images please.
Paper
1978 Original Exhibition Framed Poster R.C. Gorman Muirhead Galleries California
By R.C. Gorman
Located in San Diego, CA
Nicely framed original poster, exhibition poster by RC Gorman from 1978, in glass and aluminum frame South Costa Mesa , California nice colors some light spots as shown .
Aluminum
$998Sale Price|25% Off
Heat Original Movie Poster Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer Michael Mann
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Heat Original Movie Poster Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer Michael Mann Original movie lithograph printed in the USA in 1995 Copyright of Warne...
Paper
$240Sale Price|20% Off
Green Movie Poster Palace Theatre West Salem IL Clark Gable Frederich March
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Frayed Green Movie Poster Palace Theatre West Salem IL Clark Gable Frederich March Loretta Young and more 14 x 22 Original Vintage distressed condition...
Paper
$1,297
H 33.47 in W 22.84 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage Poster Mikhail Oshel Illusionist Magician Soviet Magic Circus
Located in London, GB
Original vintage circus poster promoting a magician performance by Mikhail Oshel Illusion Manipulator featuring a colourful design depi...
Paper
"Alphaville" Original Japanese Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original Japanese movie poster for Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 French New Wave film starring Eddie Constantine, Anna Karina, Akim Tamiroff.
1978 Grease Original Vintage Poster
Located in Winchester, GB
Released in 1978 and based on the 1971 musical of the same name, "Grease" was a huge critical and commercial success. With iconic songs and set pieces, the summer love story between ...
Paper
$1,639
H 28.63 in W 20.25 in D 0.01 in
The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1969
Located in Devon, GB
Issued for the first Japanese release of the film in 1969, this fantastically bizarre Japanese B2 poster offers some of the best artwork created to promote the Beatles' 1968 hit psyc...
Paper
$1,495
H 26.5 in W 39 in D 2 in
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Black Leopard Framed Vintage Poster
Located in Savannah, GA
This large and very colorful vintage Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily Circus ink on paper poster features a charging black leopard with a ferocious grimace. Printed by the Erie Li...
Glass, Wood, Paper
'Batman' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1966
Located in Devon, GB
Fabulously kitsch and colourful, this rare Japanese B2 poster advertised the first full length feature film of the DC Comics character Batman. Released by 20th century Fox in 1966 as...
Linen, Paper
$737
H 37.75 in W 26 in D 0.1 in
Polish, Cyrk, Circus Poster, 1968, Vintage, Balancing Acrobat, Urbaniec
Located in Bath, Somerset
Polish, Cyrk, circus poster, 1968, vintage, Balancing Acrobat, Urbaniec Another fantastic design by Maciej Urbaniec from the Polish School of Posters features on this balancing ac...
Paper
"Funny Face" Original Japanese Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original Japanese movie poster. This design was created only for this first release Japanese poster. It is exceptionally rare and is the only exa...
"White Heat" Warner Brothers Movie Poster
Located in Pompano Beach, FL
MOVIE POSTER FROM WARNER BROTHER'S, WHITE HEAT, 1949, HALF SHEET PAPER BACKED, BLACK FRAME .
22" x 28" unframed
"Bambi" US Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original US movie poster for Walt Disney's 1942 Classic Animation. This poster was designed and used for the 1957 rerelease of the film. This piece is ...
Paper
$1,113
H 38.38 in W 26.88 in D 0.1 in
Polish, Cyrk/Circus Poster, 1970, Vintage, Bear Riding Penny Farthing, Srokowski
Located in Bath, Somerset
We love this original Polish CYRK (circus) poster from 1970 with a lovely design by Jerzy Srokowski of a bear on a Penny Farthing bicycle. The ‘Cyrk” circus poster in Poland appeare...
Paper, Linen
"Kartoon Karnival" Original US Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original US movie poster used to advertise M.G.M's different cartoons throughout 1954.
"Secret Beyond The Door, " Original Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original US film poster for the 1948 Film Noir directed Fritz Langs Film Noir staring Joan Bennett and Michael Redgrave. This poster is conservation linen backed and it would be sh...
Paper
Tales of Hoffman Original US Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original US movie poster for Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger's, 1951 drama. Starring Moira Shearer, Robert Rounseville.
Paper
"Il Mostro della Via Morgue, " Film Poster
Located in London, GB
Original Italian film poster for the 1954 Horror film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Karl Malden and Claude Dauphin. The film is an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story...
Paper
Pair of New Orleans JAzz Festival Framed Posters
Located in Freehold, NJ
This pair of vintage New Orleans Jazz Festival posters circa 1989 & 1990 feature unique portraits of very 80s looking females, lots of Mardi Gras i...
Paper
Sold
H 31 in W 23 in D 1.5 in
"Save Freedom of Speech. Buy War Bonds" Vintage WWII Poster by Norman Rockwell
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is an original 1943 War Bonds poster by Rockwell Kent, illustrating “Freedom of Speech.” The poster is one of the four iconic War Bonds posters by Norman Rockwell. The seri...
Paper
Sold
H 42.25 in W 32.25 in D 1.25 in
"Ours to Fight for Freedom from Fear" Vintage WWII Poster by Norman Rockwell
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is an original 1943 poster by Rockwell Kent, illustrating “freedom from fear.” The poster is one of the four iconic War Bonds posters by Norman Rockwell. The series was a v...
Paper
Sold
H 39.77 in W 26.78 in D 0.01 in
Taxi Driver Original Movie Poster Robert De Niro Martin Scorcese 1976
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Taxi Driver Original Movie Poster Robert De Niro Martin Scorcese 1976 USA Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver iconic original movie lithograph printed in t...
Paper
Sold
H 22.05 in W 18.12 in D 0.04 in
Original Antique Poster Scribner's Magazine April 1899 Illustrated Poems Stories
Located in London, GB
Original antique magazine advertising poster for the American periodical Scribner's (1887-1939) featuring a colourful neoclassical Art Nouveau illus...
Paper
Sold
H 39 in W 14.5 in D 0.5 in
Jackie Kennedy's Trompe l'Oeil White House Dressing Room Doors Reproductions
Located in Hanover, MA
These special reproductions of Jackie Kennedy's trompe l'oeil door panels from her White House dressing room were issued 20 years ago by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the John F...
Wood, Paper
Early 1800s Lenox Soap Life-Size Advertising Display
Located in Peekskill, NY
The display reads... Lenox Soap Lathers Freely in Hard Water... Just Fits The Hand... Proctor and Gamble. This was produced in the mid to early 19th century by The Strobridge Litho C...
Paper
Original Rare 1970s Walt Disney Poster by Gawdawful Graphics
Located in San Diego, CA
A very rare and unique poster "Aint gone work Dizzys farm no more “by Gawdawful graphics, circa 1970s freshly framed, only a few of this posters are alive, Disney Sue the company aft...
Paper
Sold
H 42 in W 30 in D 1 in
"Washington The City Beautiful" Vintage Pennsylvania Railroad Travel Poster
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
"Washington The City Beautiful" vintage Pennsylvania Railroad travel poster by Grif Teller, circa 1935 This is a vintage, first editio...
The Tree of Life Lithograph, circa 1870
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
The Tree of Life lithograph, circa 1870, on the either side of the river was there the Tree of Life which bare 12 manner of fruits. Revelation Chap. X...
Paper
James Montgomery Flagg Uncle Sam World War I Poster
Located in Stamford, CT
James Montgomery Flagg (American, 1877-1960), uncle Sam World War I recruiting poster. The iconic image of Uncle Sam pointing toward the ...