After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century, Islamic Spain became a cultural mix of influences that shaped both private homes and religious spaces. Moorish design was the name given to this style, which evolved through the 15th century with vibrant tile work, horseshoe arches and lavish ornamentation, most visible at sites such as Granada’s Alhambra and the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Moorish furniture was often similarly ornate, and featured pieces inlaid with wood, ivory and bone.
When European designers began studying Moorish art and architecture in the early 19th century, it led to a Moorish Revival. Appropriating the style’s decorative flourishes and architectural elements, it promoted a romantic view of Islamic design. Travelers could bring home a memento of what they witnessed in the Middle East, a trend that aligned with a fad for themed interiors. Men’s smoking rooms arranged with ottomans, divans and settees and inlaid tables were especially popular, as were cafés where coffee was served amid bead curtains and colorful floor mats. (Handwoven rugs are a centerpiece of Moorish interiors.) Octagonal rooms with domed ceilings were created for wealthy homes, frequently with furnishings like pipe stands, filigree plasterwork and arched doorways. The horseshoe arch is an iconic attribute of Moorish architecture that, in addition to Spain, can be found in Sicily, Morocco and elsewhere.
Several late 19th to early 20th-century movements featured Moorish touches. The American and English Aesthetic Movement, for example, borrowed liberally from global decorating styles, as seen in furniture designed by Lockwood de Forest, a New York-born artist who mixed Eastern and Western forms. The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau also references the elegant use of geometry in Moorish design, with Milanese Art Nouveau furniture designer Carlo Bugatti drawing inspiration from the style. The Arts and Crafts movement, which prized expressive yet simple design, incorporated Moorish influences; hand-painted furniture and tile work created by William De Morgan, a British designer and potter who made furnishings for the likes of Morris & Co., were informed by techniques from Moorish Spain.
Find a collection of Moorish lighting, decorative objects, folk art and more furniture on 1stDibs.
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. The white...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Pair of Original Vintage Prints by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful images by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free shi...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. The white...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
“The Souk” Limited Edition Etching by Azoulay Guillaume
Located in Dallas, TX
Presenting a lovely limited edition etching, namely, “The Souk” limited edition etching by Azoulay Guillaume. From 1982 the etching is numbered an...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Antique Print of Jerusalem After J.M.W Turner. Dated 1834
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image of Jerusalem Fine steel engraving after J.M.W Turner Published by John Murray & Son, London. Dated 1836 Unframed.
Paper
Original Antique Print of Cairo, Egypt. Dated 1809
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image of Cairo Fine copper-plate engraving Published by Sherwood & Co. Dated 1809 Unframed. Free shipping
Paper
Original Antique Print of Mosque of Omar, Jerusalem, After David Roberts, C.1840
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image of The Mosque of Omar Fine steel engraving after David Roberts Published C.1840 The measurement is the paper size Unframed.
Paper
Original Antique Print of Alexandria, Egypt, circa 1850
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image of Alexandria Fine steel engraving after W.H Bartlett Published circa 1850 Unframed. Free shipping
Paper
Original Antique Orientalist Print Dated 1838
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Great 0rientalist image Fine steel engraving Published by Fisher 1838 Unframed.
Paper
$288Sale Price|36% Off
H 28 in W 22 in D 1 in
Original Vintage Custom Botanical Fern Prints with Makers Stamp
Located in Essex, MA
Filix Mas Filix Foemina " Athyrium filix-femina, the lady fern or common lady-fern, is a large, feathery species of fern native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphe...
Paper
Original Vintage Custom Botanical Fern Prints with Makers Stamp
Located in Essex, MA
Andr. Matthioli Comm. Trichomanes Fern print Trichomanes is a genus of ferns in the family Hymenophyllaceae, termed bristle ferns. Gold frame with iv...
Paper
Original Vintage Custom Botanical Fern Prints with Makers Stamp
Located in Essex, MA
Andr. Matthioli Comm. Polypodium Alterum Fern print In gold frame with ivory mat Measures 22 W x 28 H x 1 D.
Paper
$2,000Sale Price / set|24% Off
H 25.5 in W 21.5 in D 3 in
Pair framed vintage print of drawings by Diego Rivera
By Diego Rivera
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of vintage prints of Diego Rivera's drawings of indigenous Mexican children. Framed on linen board in a pair of period frame. In print sign...
Wood, Paper
$265Sale Price|20% Off
H 9.18 in W 7.25 in D 0.02 in
Original Antique Print of a Lioness and Lion Cubs by Ridinger
Located in Langweer, NL
Beautiful original old print of a lioness and lion cubs. This print originates from Dr. Johann Schreber's 'Die Saugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur'(Mammals in Pictures after Nature). Drawn by Johann Elias Ridinger (1698–1767). Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber (1739–1810) was appointed professor of materia medica at the University of Erlangen in 1769. In 1774, he began writing a multivolume set of books entitled Die Säugethiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen, which focused on the mammals of the world. Many of the animals included were given a scientific name for the first time, following the binomial system of Carl Linnaeus. From 1791 until his death in 1810, he was the president of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He was elected a member of the Royal Swedish...
Paper
$320
H 10.12 in W 7.88 in D 0.02 in
Original Antique Print of Various Seashells by G.W. Knorr, ca.1770
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'Ex Museo Schadeloockiano'. Beautiful original antique print of various sea shells. This print originates from 'Verlustiging der oogen en van den geest; of Verza...
Paper
$421Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.94 in W 12.76 in D 0.02 in
Original Antique Print of a Senegal Lion by Brodtmann, circa1830
Located in Langweer, NL
The 'Löwe vom Senegal' is an original antique print by Karl Joseph Brodtmann, dating back to around 1830. This artwork captures the grandeur of a Senegal lion, rendered in a style ty...
Paper
$412
H 44.49 in W 33.08 in D 0.4 in
Vintage Botanical West German Biology Print Chart by Hagemann, Germany, 1960s
By Gottlieb von Koch 1, Dr. Friedrich Quentell
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Vintage pull down chart Original vintage school chart, by Jung-Koch Quentell Paperprint on Linen. The canvas is fixed between two woo...
Linen
Original Vintage Custom Botanical Fern Prints with Makers Stamp
Located in Essex, MA
Felix Mas Felix Foemina " Athyrium filix-femina, the lady fern or common lady-fern, is a large, feathery species of fern native throughout most of the tem...
Paper
Original Antique Print of Two Lions Resting
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'Ein ruhender aber in sich selbst böser Löwe'. Old German print of two lions resting. This print originates from 'Entwurff einiger Thier...
Paper
Antique Print 'Umwerbung' by Kurt Hilscher, circa 1930
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'Umwerbung' (1620-1650). Signed print of Hilscher's unique take on romance. Kurt Hilscher (1904–1980) was a German commercial illustrator. Hilscher studied in 19...
Paper
Original Vintage Fashion Print published in Ladies Styles, 1952
Located in Langweer, NL
Untitled fashion or costume print. This print originates from ladies styles published in the Winter of 1952. Published by Sogra, Editions de Mode, Vienna.
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. The white...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Repair to...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1920
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper
Original Vintage Print by Edmund Dulac, C.1930
By Edmund Dulac
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful image by Edmund Dulac Tipped in plate onto paper Lithograph. Published C.1930 The measurement given is the paper size not the actual coloured printed image. Free ship...
Paper