Neoclassical Benches
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.
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Bronze
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary European Neoclassical Benches
Iron
1820s Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Walnut
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Benches
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Neoclassical Benches
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Neoclassical Benches
Walnut
20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Brass, Iron
20th Century Swedish Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Gold Leaf
Early 2000s Indonesian Neoclassical Benches
Teak
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Brass
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood, Birch
Early 1900s Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wrought Iron
1810s Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Walnut
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Oak
Late 20th Century Unknown Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Foam, Beech
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Steel
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Walnut, Giltwood
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood
1920s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Iron
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Velvet, Hardwood
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Silk, Upholstery, Walnut
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Metal
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Giltwood, Velvet
21st Century and Contemporary Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood, Giltwood
20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Giltwood
1790s German Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Wood, Cherry
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Bronze
1970s Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Bronze, Steel
2010s Italian Neoclassical Benches
Silver Leaf, Gold Leaf
1940s Japanese Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood
20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Bronze
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Benches
Iron
19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Mahogany
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Chenille, Velvet, Wood
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Walnut, Linen
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Benches
Cement
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Velvet, Hardwood
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Benches
Concrete
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Benches
Bronze, Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Benches
Silk, Wood, Lacquer
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Marble
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wrought Iron
1890s French Antique Neoclassical Benches
Fruitwood, Paint
19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Benches
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Benches
Plaster, Pine
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Benches
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Benches
Wood
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Benches
Fabric, Giltwood, Paint
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Benches
Wood