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.
20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Paper
1970s European Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Late 20th Century North American Neoclassical Furniture
Concrete
2010s French Neoclassical Furniture
Cherry, Oak
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Stone, Bronze
19th Century British Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
1970s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
Mid-20th Century European Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Gold
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Velvet, Walnut, Down
1860s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Ceramic
19th Century Danish Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Walnut
1890s Austrian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Brass
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Leather
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Terracotta, Paint
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Brass, Gold Leaf
Early 19th Century English Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Wood
1830s American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Silver
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Upholstery, Fruitwood
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Baltic Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Metal
20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
1880s Dutch Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Opaline Glass
Late 19th Century German Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Stoneware
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Canvas
1980s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Glass, Mirror, Wood
Early 2000s American Neoclassical Furniture
Enamel
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Fabric, Hardwood
1930s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Ormolu, Bronze
1870s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Silk, Upholstery, Foam, Mahogany
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Copper
1980s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Paint
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Furniture
Concrete
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Furniture
Silver Plate
Early 2000s American Neoclassical Furniture
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Furniture
Statuary Marble
2010s French Neoclassical Furniture
Cut Steel, Wrought Iron
20th Century Spanish Neoclassical Furniture
Metal, Iron, Wrought Iron, Gold Leaf
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Crystal, Bronze
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Sterling Silver
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Onyx, Brass
Late 20th Century Portuguese Neoclassical Furniture
Marble, Bronze
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
1940s American Vintage Neoclassical Furniture
Mahogany
18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Marble
Late 19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Mirror, Mahogany
20th Century French Neoclassical Furniture
Carrara Marble, Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron
Mid-19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Furniture
Iron





