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.
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Renaissance Furniture
Stone, Limestone
20th Century British Renaissance Furniture
Glass
Late 20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Fruitwood
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Bronze, Ormolu
18th Century Unknown Antique Renaissance Furniture
Porcelain
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Maiolica
Mid-20th Century German Renaissance Furniture
Porcelain
19th Century Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
1980s North American Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
Early 20th Century Unknown Renaissance Furniture
Pewter
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Walnut, Burl
17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Tortoise Shell
20th Century British Renaissance Furniture
Iron
16th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Chestnut, Oak
21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Renaissance Furniture
Aluminum
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Rock Crystal, Silver
2010s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Glass
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Mid-17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Furniture
Ebony, Mahogany, Oak
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Paint
Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Brass
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble
17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Giltwood
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Canvas, Wood
1930s Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Renaissance Furniture
Paper
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
20th Century German Renaissance Furniture
Porcelain, Giltwood
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble
1990s North American Renaissance Furniture
Wood
17th Century European Antique Renaissance Furniture
Oak
17th Century European Antique Renaissance Furniture
Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Ceramic, Maiolica
Late 19th Century Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wrought Iron
2010s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Glass
20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Terracotta
17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Oak
2010s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Silver
20th Century East Asian Renaissance Furniture
Glass, Resin
Late 20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Marble
Late 17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Furniture
Ebony, Rosewood, Oak
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble
1930s Italian Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Marble
20th Century Renaissance Furniture
Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Hardwood
16th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
16th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Stone
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Majolica
16th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wool





