Renaissance Boxes
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.
1960s French Vintage Renaissance Boxes
Steel
1970s Italian Vintage Renaissance Boxes
Sterling Silver, Enamel
1890s French Antique Renaissance Boxes
Brass, Bronze
1990s Italian Renaissance Boxes
Sterling Silver
19th Century German Antique Renaissance Boxes
Ormolu
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Wood, Fruitwood
Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Rock Crystal, Silver
19th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Boxes
Wood
1970s Italian Vintage Renaissance Boxes
Gold, Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Gesso, Wood
1970s American Vintage Renaissance Boxes
Resin
1980s Italian Vintage Renaissance Boxes
Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel
20th Century British Renaissance Boxes
Oak
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Marble
15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Pewter
Early 17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Bronze
16th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Boxes
Metal, Other
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Gesso, Plaster, Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Bronze
17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Wood
Early 1900s Belgian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Brass
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Boxes
Enamel
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Wood
Late 17th Century French Antique Renaissance Boxes
1830s Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Wood
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Boxes
Walnut
Early 20th Century British Renaissance Boxes
Brass
Early 20th Century European Renaissance Boxes
Wood, Paint
18th Century and Earlier French Antique Renaissance Boxes
Metal