Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
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.
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Walnut
19th Century Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Oak
17th Century French Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather
19th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather, Wood
20th Century Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Metal
19th Century Japanese Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Paper
2010s Portuguese Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Oak
17th Century French Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Iron
20th Century American Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Chrome
Early 1900s English Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Glass, Wood, Fabric
Mid-19th Century English Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Steel
Early 20th Century French Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Silk, Damask
Mid-20th Century Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Wicker, Wood
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Canvas, Wood
19th Century European Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather, Faux Leather
1950s French Vintage Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Wood
19th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather, Wood
1930s Italian Vintage Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Giltwood
Early 20th Century European Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather, Hardwood
Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Early 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather
1920s French Vintage Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Wrought Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Screens and Room Dividers
Leather, Walnut