Neoclassical Chairs
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.
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Bronze
18th Century British Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Feathers
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Mahogany, Sycamore
1810s American Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Silk, Upholstery, Pine, Giltwood, Lacquer, Paint
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Faux Leather, Wood
18th Century British Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Giltwood
19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Wood, Fabric
2010s European Neoclassical Chairs
Wrought Iron
1960s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Hardwood, Giltwood, Silk
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Chairs
Brass, Stainless Steel
1980s American Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Leather, Wicker, Wood
16th Century British Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Mahogany
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Chairs
Brass, Stainless Steel
1950s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
2010s American Neoclassical Chairs
Upholstery, Velvet, Wood
1920s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Straw, Cherry
1980s Colombian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Bone
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Steel
Early 20th Century English Neoclassical Chairs
Wood, Linen, Upholstery
20th Century Neoclassical Chairs
Leather, Wood
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Early 1800s German Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Cherry
20th Century Neoclassical Chairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Chairs
Cane
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Metal
20th Century Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Linen, Walnut
Early 1900s American Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Wood
20th Century American Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Cane, Wood
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Neoclassical Chairs
Leather, Wood
1950s Italian Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Brass, Nickel
19th Century Baltic Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Chairs
Walnut
2010s Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Gold Leaf
Mid-19th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Early 19th Century Russian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
2010s American Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1940s French Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Brass
2010s Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Gold Leaf
2010s American Neoclassical Chairs
Linen, Mahogany
Late 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Linen, Poplar
1840s Swiss Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Cherry
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Neoclassical Chairs
Gold, Gold Leaf
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Beech
19th Century American Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Pine
2010s Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Gold Leaf
Mid-18th Century Swedish Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Jacquard, Beech, Walnut
1940s Vintage Neoclassical Chairs
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Fabric, Leather, Wood
Late 18th Century Italian Antique Neoclassical Chairs
Beech
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Chairs
Leather, Fabric, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Chairs
Walnut