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.
1990s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Sterling Silver
Late 17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Furniture
Canvas
1990s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Sterling Silver
20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Steel
20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Iron
20th Century English Renaissance Furniture
Iron
2010s American Renaissance Furniture
Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Furniture
Ceramic, Earthenware
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Furniture
Ceramic, Earthenware
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Furniture
Ceramic, Earthenware
2010s Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
15th Century and Earlier German Antique Renaissance Furniture
Paper
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Metallic Thread
2010s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Glass
Early 20th Century French Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
19th Century European Antique Renaissance Furniture
Glass, Wood, Paper
18th Century Danish Antique Renaissance Furniture
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Marble, Sterling Silver
16th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Furniture
Pine
1780s Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Fabric, Walnut
Early 19th Century Antique Renaissance Furniture
Gold Plate, Bronze
Late 18th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Wood
18th Century Unknown Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
1970s North American Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
Mid-17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Canvas, Beech, Giltwood, Paint
Mid-20th Century French Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Early 20th Century French Renaissance Furniture
Glass, Walnut
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble, Statuary Marble
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble, Statuary Marble
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
16th Century German Antique Renaissance Furniture
Paper
1980s North American Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
15th Century and Earlier Austrian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
19th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Furniture
Metal
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood, Giltwood
17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Early 19th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century European Renaissance Furniture
Faience
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble, Ormolu
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Leather
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Unknown Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Early 1600s Antique Renaissance Furniture
Silk, Velvet
19th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Furniture
Bronze
17th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
1980s North American Vintage Renaissance Furniture
Mahogany
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Leather, Walnut
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Walnut
Mid-18th Century French Antique Renaissance Furniture
Canvas
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Bronze
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Furniture
Silk
Mid-20th Century Italian Renaissance Furniture
Pine
1990s Italian Renaissance Furniture
Bronze