Moorish Furniture
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.
Late 20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Shell, Mother-of-Pearl, Fruitwood
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Glass
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Paper
Late 20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Velvet
1950s Italian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Fruitwood
Early 1900s Syrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bone, Hardwood
20th Century Lebanese Moorish Furniture
Wood, Mother-of-Pearl
Mid-20th Century Moorish Furniture
Multi-gemstone, Brass
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Shell, Wood
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wood
Mid-20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Brass
1940s West Asian Vintage Moorish Furniture
Wood, Bone
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Terracotta
Mid-20th Century Asian Moorish Furniture
Wood
1920s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Early 2000s Moorish Furniture
Metal
Late 20th Century American Moorish Furniture
Porcelain
21st Century and Contemporary Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Wool
20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Late 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather
Mid-20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Leather, Wood
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Spelter, Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary American Moorish Furniture
Paper
19th Century Asian Antique Moorish Furniture
Copper
Late 20th Century Unknown Moorish Furniture
Mirror, Resin
Late 20th Century Egyptian Moorish Furniture
Paper
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Italian Moorish Furniture
Ceramic, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century African Moorish Furniture
Brass
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Metallic Thread
Early 20th Century Austrian Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Silk
1890s English Antique Moorish Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s Austrian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
1960s Moroccan Vintage Moorish Furniture
Brass
20th Century Spanish Moorish Furniture
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Late 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Linen, Velvet
Late 19th Century Moroccan Antique Moorish Furniture
Mahogany
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Early 20th Century Moorish Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century Indian Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Moorish Furniture
Bone, Wood
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Silver Plate, Brass
20th Century Turkish Moorish Furniture
Mohair
Late 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Cotton, Silk
20th Century Moroccan Moorish Furniture
Ceramic
Late 20th Century French Moorish Furniture
Paper
Mid-20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Cotton
Early 20th Century Indian Moorish Furniture
Fabric
Late 19th Century French Antique Moorish Furniture
Bronze