Neoclassical Conference Tables
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 French Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Glass, Oak
1940s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Leather, Mahogany
21st Century and Contemporary American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Iron
20th Century American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Rosewood
Early 19th Century French Antique Neoclassical Conference Tables
Felt, Chestnut, Oak, Cherry
2010s American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Walnut
2010s American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Walnut
2010s American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Oak
2010s American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Oak
1960s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Teak
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Oak
1980s French Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Travertine
1960s Danish Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Oak
2010s American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Neoclassical Conference Tables
Rosewood
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Conference Tables
Travertine
Mid-20th Century Danish Neoclassical Conference Tables
Rosewood
21st Century and Contemporary British Neoclassical Conference Tables
Mahogany, Satinwood
21st Century and Contemporary British Neoclassical Conference Tables
Mahogany
1660s North American Antique Neoclassical Conference Tables
Beech
2010s American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Walnut
20th Century American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Metal
Late 19th Century Czech Antique Neoclassical Conference Tables
Oak
Early 20th Century Neoclassical Conference Tables
Walnut
20th Century Neoclassical Conference Tables
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century American Neoclassical Conference Tables
Oak
1950s French Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Neoclassical Conference Tables
Wood
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Conference Tables
Copper
Late 20th Century Neoclassical Conference Tables
Early 1900s French Antique Neoclassical Conference Tables
Mahogany
1950s American Vintage Neoclassical Conference Tables
Wood