Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
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.
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Bronze
1920s American Vintage Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Belgian Black Marble, Iron, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Wrought Iron
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Fir
Late 19th Century European Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Wicker, Rattan, Bamboo
19th Century Indian Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Brass
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Mahogany
1960s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Teak
1880s American Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Glass, Oak
19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Brass
2010s Brazilian Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Metal
Mid-19th Century Unknown Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Cherry
1960s Swedish Vintage Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Pine
1960s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Teak
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Bronze
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Marble, Bronze
1860s French Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Bronze, Steel
20th Century French Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Malachite, Ormolu, Bronze
Mid-20th Century French Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Brass, Bronze, Steel
1970s French Vintage Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Bronze, Steel
1860s French Antique Neoclassical Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets
Bronze