Medieval Sculptures
The Middle Ages in Europe followed the end of the Roman Empire, and in this time of change, which preceded the Renaissance, furniture was simple and utilitarian, with most homes having only the necessities like chests and benches. Much of medieval furniture, which was often made in oak or walnut, was built for the elite, particularly the emerging merchant class who owned multiple homes.
Life for many in the medieval era was unstable, and furniture was designed to be functional and portable. Peasants worked the fields for affluent landowners and didn’t have access to literature in the way that nobles and people of the church did (women less so than men). The furniture in their modest dwellings was typically limited to cookware and a handful of stools. Foldable chairs, while uncommon in homes of the early Middle Ages and emblematic of wealth, like all other furnishings of the time, allowed for easy transportation of a household. Trestle tables with detachable legs and collapsible beds were designed to be simply moved from place to place.
Medieval blanket chests were among the most important furniture objects and could further serve as tables or even beds. Some ancient traditions were carried forward to build this sturdy furniture, such as turnery. Although the furniture was minimally designed, embellishments like carvings added elegance to the heavy wood pieces. These details sometimes reflected trends in religious art like rose windows.
By the later Middle Ages, storage pieces like chests of drawers were often adorned with high relief carvings, such as geometric and floral motifs. By the 14th and 15th centuries, design had developed to include more involved pieces like cupboards and desks, while benches frequently doubled as chests with hinged seats. Beds also changed in this era from basic boards to four-post designs with large drapes to keep the sleeper warm. These beds and other medieval bedroom furniture were significant status symbols, passed down through families and used as places to conduct business and receive visitors.
Surviving examples of medieval furniture are very rare, yet its distinctive aesthetics influenced later styles like William and Mary and Arts and Crafts.
Find a collection of medieval seating, garden elements, decorative objects and other furniture on 1stDibs.
16th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Alabaster
15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
19th Century American Antique Medieval Sculptures
Silver
16th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood
1990s American Medieval Sculptures
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Marble
Early 20th Century European Medieval Sculptures
Wood
Mid-17th Century Belgian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
15th Century and Earlier Malagasy Antique Medieval Sculptures
Eggshell
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Iron
15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Sculptures
Alabaster
Late 19th Century German Antique Medieval Sculptures
Brass, Metal
16th Century Spanish Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
1960s European Vintage Medieval Sculptures
Granite
15th Century and Earlier German Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood
15th Century and Earlier German Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood
15th Century and Earlier Spanish Antique Medieval Sculptures
Softwood
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Softwood
15th Century and Earlier Indian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Sandstone
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Sandstone
Late 19th Century Sicilian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Iron
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Bronze
Early 20th Century European Medieval Sculptures
Brass
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
19th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Marble, Bronze
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
1920s French Vintage Medieval Sculptures
Terracotta
Mid-20th Century Medieval Sculptures
Metal, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Medieval Sculptures
Crystal
15th Century and Earlier Spanish Antique Medieval Sculptures
Alabaster
16th Century English Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone, Limestone
15th Century and Earlier European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
16th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures
Sandstone
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Bronze
17th Century German Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
1920s French Vintage Medieval Sculptures
Marble, Spelter
Early 19th Century German Antique Medieval Sculptures
Fruitwood, Oak
Mid-19th Century English Antique Medieval Sculptures
Clay
18th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
17th Century British Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
16th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Giltwood
Early 1900s Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wrought Iron
16th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Alabaster
17th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
15th Century and Earlier Belgian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
15th Century and Earlier European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Oak
15th Century and Earlier Belgian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Limestone
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures
Limestone
15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Sculptures
Stone, Limestone
Early 19th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures
Wood, Oak