Renaissance Furniture
Spanning an era of cultural rebirth in Europe that harkened back to antiquity, the Renaissance was a time of change in design. From the late 1400s to the early 1600s, Rome, Venice and Florence emerged as artistic centers through the expansion of global trade and a humanist belief in the arts being central to society. Antique Renaissance furniture was ornately carved from sturdy woods like walnut, its details standing out against the tapestries and stained glass adorning the walls.
Renaissance chests, which were frequently commissioned for marriages, were often decorated with gilding or painted elements. Those that were known as cassoni were crafted in shapes based on classical sarcophagi. As opposed to the medieval era, when furniture was pared down to the necessities, a wide range of Renaissance chairs, tables and cabinets were created for the home, and the designs regularly referenced ancient Rome.
Large torchères of the Renaissance era that were used as floor lamps were inspired by classical candelabras, while marble surfaces evoked frescoes. The inlaid boxes being imported from the Middle East informed the intarsia technique, which involved varying hues of wood in mosaic-like patterns, such as those by architect Giuliano da Maiano in the Florence Cathedral.
Tapestry-woven cushion covers accented the variety of Renaissance seating — from conversation to study chairs — while bookcases for secular use reflected the migration of culture and knowledge from the church into the home. The aesthetics of the Italian Renaissance later spread to France through the publishing of work by renowned designers, including Hugues Sambin and Jacques Androuet du Cerceau. Centuries later, the 19th-century Renaissance Revival would see a return to this influential style.
Find a collection of antique Renaissance case pieces, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
16th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
19th Century European Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wrought Iron
18th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Spanish Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s American Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
1920s Italian Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Terracotta
17th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Paint
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Leather, Wood
20th Century Unknown Renaissance Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
19th Century Antique Renaissance Furniture
Silver
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wrought Iron
20th Century British Renaissance Furniture
Pewter
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
17th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Stone
Late 20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
Late 19th Century English Antique Renaissance Furniture
Bronze
19th Century European Antique Renaissance Furniture
Iron, Wrought Iron
20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Renaissance Furniture
Coral, Quartz, Bronze
17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Paint
20th Century French Renaissance Furniture
Porcelain
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Gold Leaf
1870s Antique Renaissance Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Wood
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Leather, Mahogany
19th Century English Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Glass
20th Century Persian Renaissance Furniture
Wool
1980s North American Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble, Bronze
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Renaissance Furniture
Coral, Bronze
20th Century French Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
17th Century European Antique Renaissance Furniture
Brass, Bronze, Ormolu
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Mirror, Wood
Late 20th Century Indian Renaissance Furniture
Wool
1840s Spanish Antique Renaissance Furniture
Iron
20th Century British Renaissance Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Fabric, Wood
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Iron
1880s Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Majolica
1780s Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Paint
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
Late 19th Century English Antique Renaissance Furniture
Metal
Early 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Bronze
19th Century Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Renaissance Furniture
Wood
1880s Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Canvas
Late 18th Century Unknown Antique Renaissance Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century American Renaissance Furniture
Pine
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Walnut, Burl
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble
Early 20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Walnut





