Neoclassical Furniture
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.
1970s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Paint
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Wrought Iron
1790s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1990s Neoclassical Furniture
Hardwood, Paint
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1930s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Travertine, Brass
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Teak
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Pewter
1890s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Textile, Upholstery, Walnut
1990s Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Granite, Gold, Bronze
Late 18th Century Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Delft
1920s Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Composition
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta, Paint
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Granite
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
2010s American Neoclassical Furniture
Paint, Paper
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster
Late 18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Pearlware, Pottery
1850s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bone, Ebony, Mahogany
Mid-19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
1920s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Pine
18th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Other
1980s Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas, Giltwood
19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Paint
Mid-20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Metal, Brass
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta
1950s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Cut Glass, Murano Glass
20th Century English Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta
1930s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
1940s Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Upholstery, Wood, Lacquer
1960s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Porcelain
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century Belgian Neoclassical Furniture
Plaster
1950s English Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Beech
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Murano Glass
1790s Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
1790s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Faience
Mid-19th Century Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron