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Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

RENAISSANCE STYLE

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.

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Style: Renaissance
Italian Renaissance Style Soapstone Carvings
Located in Queens, NY
4 Italian Renaissance style (19th Century) carved soapstone wall plaques of Medieval scenes under glass in black frames.
Category

19th Century Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Soapstone

'Rape Of A Woman', Large Bronze Group After Giambologna, Early 20th Century
By Giambologna
Located in Vienna, AT
In reference to the remarkaple marble group of three larger-than-life figures, known as ‘The Rape of the Sabine Women’, which is located under the right arcade of the Loggia dei Lanz...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Rare Italian White Marble Relief of "Young Saint John the Baptist" circa 1860
By Desiderio da Settignano
Located in Queens, NY
A Rare Italian White Marble Relief of "Young Saint John the Baptist" circa 1860 after Desiderio Da Settignano. The original pietra serena relief by Desiderio Da Settignano, is in ...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Group of Altarpiece - Antwerpen, 16th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Group of altarpiece representing the life of a Saint, Saint Renualde? Engraved by the sign of Antwerp hand on the hat of the central character Carved oak, traces of polychromy Fir...
Category

16th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Oak

Renaissance Marble Relief - Emilia Romagna, 1470-80
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Renaissance Marble Relief Emilia Romagna, Faenza ? 1470-80 H 30,2 x L 33 x P 3,5 cm The carved marble relief depicts the Virgin accompanied by a winge...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Antique E. Rousseau Cast Spelter Metal French Maiden Woman Bust Sculpture
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique E. Rousseau Cast Spelter Metal French Maiden Woman Bust Sculpture. Item features cast metal construction, wooden base, signed to rear, very unique antique sculpture. Circa 1...
Category

19th Century Unknown Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Grand, 19th Century, Della Robbia Medallion
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Extremely large, hand molded, painted, and majolica-glazed, relief sculpture "Tondo" (meaning "art in the round") after famed Renaissance artist, Andrea della Robbia...
Category

1880s Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

Bronze Statue of a Mounted Crusader in Combat with a Saracen After T. Gechter
By Jean-François Théodore Gechter
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
A dramatic patinated bronze statue depicting a mounted crusader on his rearing horse ready to strike a mortal blow to a fallen Saracen lying beneath him on a rocky landscape. In a desperate attempt to defend himself the Saracen is shown thrusting his sword into the chest of the the crusader's horse. The bronze grouping is mounted on a green scagllola painted marble base with gilt bronze trim. While the bronze is not signed it had to be cast after a hugely famous bronze very similar statue by Jean-François-Théodore Gechter (1795, Paris - 1844, Paris) titled "The Combat of Charles Martel...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Pair Of Saint Mark In Walnut - 16th Century - Venice
Located in Brussels, Brussels
lovely pair of Saint Mark in walnut from the 16th century - Venice Very beautiful pair finely carved representing Saint Mark with a book in his hand a lion at his side This is a pen...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Pair Important Large Painted and parcel Gilt Figuires Italian
Located in Queens, NY
PAIR of Italian (early 19th Century) painted and parcel gilt carved standing figures of a young man and lady dressed in traditional cloths (PRICED AS PAIR)
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Paint

A Burgundy Christ, 15th century
Located in PARIS, FR
A huge Burgundy 15th century Christ on its cross. Oak wood . Cross is modern. Damages, some parts missing. 98x83 cm without the cross.
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

After Giambologna: The Abduction of a Sabine Woman
By Giambologna
Located in Montreal, QC
This fine 19th century copy of the famous group is in a sumptuous Serpentine marble. The Sabine man crouches in submissive pose, whilst the Roman carries off the writhing woman. It is well-presented on the original matching plinth and pedestal . This perhaps forms part of someone's Grand Tour along with mosaics and bronzes after the antique...
Category

1850s Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Serpentine

Oak Sculpture of Christ Emerging from the Tomb, Surrounded by Roman Soldiers.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Carved oak sculpture of Christ emerging from the tomb, surrounded by Roman soldiers, 17th century. Carving of Christ emerging from the tomb, surr...
Category

17th Century European Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Oak

Italian Renaissance Painted Lifesize Figure of Religious Scholar
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Renaissance painted pine life size figure of religious scholar holding book (17/18th Cent) Replacement finger
Category

Mid-17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Pine

Followers of Jean de la Huerta, Jean de Blany ? - Saint Jerome
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Followers of Jean de la Huerta, Jean de Blany ? Saint Jerome Limestone Burgundy, second half of the15th century 60,5 cm ALR Ref : S00248050 This exquisite sculpture of Saint Jerome, carved from soft, nearly white limestone typical of eastern France, exemplifies the exceptional craftsmanship of 15th-century Burgundian art. The figure of Saint Jerome, a key figure in Christian history renowned for translating the Bible into Latin, is depicted wearing a cardinal’s hat and holding the Vulgate Bible...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Limestone

16th Century, Pair of Italian Lacquered and Gilt Wood Sculptures Torch Holders
Located in IT
16th Century, Pair of Italian Lacquered and Gilt Wood Sculptures Torch Holders The pair of sculptures, in finely carved wood, lacquered and gilded, was born as a torch holder, and ...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

16th Century Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Gold Gilded and Polychromed
Located in North Miami, FL
16th Century Spanish gold gilded and polychromed Carved-wood sculpture of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary in her...
Category

16th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Cercle of Jacopo della Pila - Marble relief depicting a winged Cherub
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Cercle of Jacopo della Pila (Lombard, in Naples 1471-1502) Marble relief depicting a winged Cherub Naples, second half of15th century 40 x 57 x 12 cm Exquisitely carved, this relief portrays a winged cherub with cascading hair and delicate features. The cherub's plump, smooth countenance, rounded cheeks, outlined lips, and finely drawn nose emanate a sense of tenderness. The quadrangular module, is adorned with a carved frame. The relief ascends gradually, transitioning from the low relief of the wings to the high relief of the head. The rectangular frame and the subtly curved form of the artwork suggest that the relief likely adorned the upper part of an arch or a vaulted chapel. The type is that of the perspective room with a coffered ceiling decorated with figures of winged cherubs, which is found in various Neapolitan chapels of the 15th century. Coffered ceilings attest to the recovery of antiquity and the search for luxury in Renaissance architecture, first in Florence, then in Rome and Naples. The majority of the numerous family chapels and tombs built during the late fifteenth century in south of Italy employ the new formal vocabulary of the Florentine Renaissance in a self-confident manner that permitted a broad spectrum of variations. The escalating admiration for the classical world, coupled with the development of perspective, significantly contributed to the Renaissance endorsement of coffered ceilings. This artistic and constructive device drew inspiration from the intricate marble patterns observed in historical landmarks such as the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli, the Pantheon, and the Basilica of Maxentius. A distilled product of both mathematical and artistic cultures, deeply scrutinizing the ancient world, the coffered ceiling plays a vital role in the perspective construction of space with its regular and directional geometry. The motif of the coffered ceiling decorated with cherubs in relief was introduced in Naples by Francesco Laurana in the plastic decoration of the Arch of Castelnuovo. Laurana's impact on the art scene in the south of Italy was profound. The introduction of the winged cherub into the region's artistic vocabulary bridged the gap between the classical and the contemporary, creating a synthesis that resonated with both aesthetic and spiritual sensibilities. His influence extended beyond the immediate visual appeal, shaping the cultural identity of the Renaissance in southern Italy. Although the plastic decoration of the Arch of Castelnuovo cannot certainly be ascribed to a mature Renaissance style, it was precisely on this occasion that the sculptors who worked there could get to know and export throughout the Italian peninsula that type of "Florentine classicism" which, even in the 15th century Naples, was conditioned by the Burgundian culture imported into the Kingdom by Alfonso of Aragon himself, with artists called from Spain and Northern Europe. The coffered ceiling, with its geometric patterns and Laurana's winged cherubs nestled within, became a symbol of refinement and cultural sophistication. The relief sculptures, carefully integrated into the overall design, transformed the ceiling into a celestial realm, inviting viewers to contemplate the divine while immersed in the grandeur of the Renaissance space. Similar winged cherubs appears also in the Naples cathedral. Within the renowned Succorpo Chapel, a mesmerizing marble coffered ceiling adorned with cherubs epitomizes the splendor of the Neapolitan Renaissance. The interplay of light and shadow on the textured surface of the marble coffered ceiling introduces an ethereal dimension, providing an immersive visual experience for observers. The geometric precision and the repeated patterns, reminiscent of classical motifs, establish a sense of harmony and balance that has become the hallmark of the Neapolitan interpretation of Florentine Renaissance aesthetics. Although probably intended to be admired from a distance, this cherub is intricately detailed and exquisitely rendered: the face and hair are elegantly outlined and the feathers are textured through juxtaposed lines. The marble, both figurative and decorative, adheres to the principles of balance and restrained ornamentation typical of the « Florentine Classicism ». Harmonious shapes and gracefully orchestrated curves , rooted in the classical repertoire, converge to evoke a sense of ethereal beauty. The surface displays the masterful use of a chisel to intricately carve the feathers and facial features, creating an almost abstract quality. This work is a testament to a sculptor of great skill and rich figurative knowledge, seamlessly blending classical firmness in contours with a refined treatment of the marble's surface. The combination of tradition and innovation point to a stylistic idiom from Lombardy, in particular we can find some comparaisons with the works of Jacopo della Pila, sculptor of Lombard origin working in Naples in the second half of the 15th century. He is documented there between 1471 and 1502, and is a protagonist of the Aragon Renaissance in the second half of the Quattrocento, together with the other great Northern sculptor active in the kingdom, Domenico Gagini. the first commission he received dates back to August 9, 1471, when Jacopo publicly committed to sculpting the funerary monument of Archbishop Nicola Piscicelli to be placed in the Cathedral of Salerno. The last known work is an altar ordered on July 29, 1502, by the noble Jacopo Rocco for the church of San Lorenzo Maggiore in Naples. Between these two chronological extremes (1471-1502), we must place the fervent activity of the artist, who had trained in Rome, perhaps under the guidance of Paolo Romano but also engaged in dialogue with other major artists of the city, especially Isaia da Pisa. He enriched his experience in Naples, initially drawing inspiration from the works of Domenico Gagini and later from the Tuscan masterpieces of Antonio Rossellino and Benedetto da Maiano destined for the church of Santa Maria di Monteoliveto. Jacopo della Pila's artistic personality is thus based on a complex interplay of influences, contributing to the definition of a highly personal style. Close comparaison can be made between our cherub and the winged angels reliefs...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

16th-century Flemish Female Wooden Sculpture
Located in Villa Verucchio, Emilia-Romagna
Prologue: An Ancient Mastery the Wooden Sculpture We begin our journey through Gothic art by presenting a magnificent Late Gothic Female Wooden Sculpture from the Flemish 500s. This ...
Category

16th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Possibly Saint Hubert or Saint Eustace, Wood, Spanish School, 16th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Possibly Saint Hubertus or Saint Eustace. Carved, polychrome and gilded wood. Spanish school, 16th century. Carving in polychrome and gilded wood, sim...
Category

16th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Cercle of Juan Martinez Montañés '1568-1649', Infant St John the Baptist
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Cercle of Juan Martinez Montañés (1568-1649) Infant St John the Baptist Spanish, 17th century H 74 cm Saint John the Baptist is here represented naked, sitting on a rock, with...
Category

17th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

16th Century Walnut Sculptures from Germany
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Very elegant sculpture reprenting a Putti (angel) from the German renaissance period -16 century Rare sculpture in walnut of great quality with a very beau...
Category

16th Century German Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Large Virgin and Child in polychrome wood, Spain, 16th Century
Located in PARIS, FR
Large painted and carved wooden Virgin and Child in the round, representing the Virgin and Child carrying the globe. The theme of the Virgin and Child is the most represented in all ...
Category

1630s Spanish Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Terracotta Bust of Christ as the Redeemer, 15th Century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
A terracotta bust of Christ as The Redeemer Tuscany or Emilia Romagna, late 15th century Measures: 46 x 43 x 21 cm This powerful, moving bust of...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

18th Century Venetian Bronze Figural Inkwell
Located in New York, NY
Patinated bronze urn-shaped inkwell rests on three winged-horses evoking movement and action. The body of the inkwell is decorated with faces among garlands and the lid is topped by a seated putti holding fruitVenetian patinated bronze figural inkwell...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Madonna Enthroned with the Child Christ, 17th Century, Gold Gilded on Wood Panel
Located in North Miami, FL
17th Century Italian polychromed and gold gilded on wood panel Sienese style painting of the Madonna Enthroned with the child and two adoring angels behind them. The halos are beautifully adorned with punch work. She is framed by a hand-carved gold gilded and velvet lined frame and sitting on a hand-carved matching base. The piece is mounted on a Lucite panel and framed with a contemporary hand-finished wood molding.
Category

Early 17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Giltwood and polychrome half-relief representation of Saint Rococo. Spain, 16th
Located in PARIS, FR
Important bas-relief in carved wood with traces of gilt, in an architectural frame with two angels in the corners, representing Saint Rocco. Considered, among other things, the Patro...
Category

16th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Pair of bronzed cast iron Italian Renaissance style fire andirons
Located in Castle Douglas, GB
A pair of bronzed cast iron Renaissance style andirons. Each with a figure of a cherub holding a cornucopia, on a ring turned and baluster column over stepped quadripartite plinth ba...
Category

Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Iron

Cercle of Romano Alberti, Page, Around 1530-1540
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Cercle of Romano Alberti, dit Il Nero da Sansepolcro ( San Sepolcro, 1521-1568 ) Page Mixed media : wood core, papier mâché, stucco, polychrome and gilded Italy, around 1530-154...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Stucco, Wood, Paper

Michelangelo Prèt-a-Porter Ceramic Sculptural Ring Contemporary
Located in London, GB
"Michelangelo prèt-a-porter " - Unique piece, 2017 glazed earthenware A RING THING collection A small chair, a miniature moon, a Philipp Stark's squeezer or the anatomical detail...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic, Earthenware

Michelangelo David Ceramic Sculpture by Andrea Salvatori, Italy, Contemporary
Located in London, GB
Andrea Salvatori, "Davidiera", 2015 glazed earthenware, measures: H 68 x 25 x 18 cm Michelangelo's David becomes a teapot in this witty reinterpret...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

Angelic Carved Wood Sculptures, 16th Century
Located in North Miami, FL
Pair of 16th Century Italian carved polychromed angelic sculptures.
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Angelic Carved Wood Sculptures, 16th Century
Angelic Carved Wood Sculptures, 16th Century
$9,375 Sale Price / set
25% Off
Renaissance Style Copper Figure of a Pilgrim with a Small Dog, circa 1860
Located in San Francisco, CA
Renaissance style figure of a pilgrim with a small dog. Continental hammered, repouusse and incised copper, circa 1860.
Category

Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Copper

Hercules Holding a Coat of Arms, Flemish, XVII Century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Hercules holding a coat of arms Flemish, XVII century White and black marble Measures: 67 x 32 x 19 cm Hercules is depicted naked, holding a coat of arms with the right hand an...
Category

17th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Belgian Black Marble

Terracotta Putti Statue Resting on Conforming Raised oval Base Signed " R. Rod "
Located in Dallas, TX
Terracotta Putti Statue Resting on Conforming Raised oval Base Signed " R. Rod " Late 19th Century To Early 20th Centurty MEASUREMENTS: 19" H x 20" W x 10" D
Category

Early 20th Century English Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta, Wood, Giltwood

Bronze Mother and Child by Faure De Brousse
By Vincent Désiré Fauré de Broussé
Located in London, GB
This beautiful sculpture of a mother and child was created in circa 1900 by the French sculptor, Vincent Desire Faure de Brousse. Faure de Brousse was...
Category

Early 20th Century French Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Renaissance Era, Marble Fragment of a Leg
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Chic, 15th Century, Roman marble fragment of a left foot and calf mounted on a custom iron stand.
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Michelangelo prèt-a-porter Andrea Salvatori Ceramic Sculptural Ring contemporary
Located in London, GB
"Michelangelo prèt-a-porter " - Unique piece, 2017 glazed earthenware A Ring Thing collection A small chair, a miniature moon, a Philipp Stark's squeezer or the anatomical detail...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic, Earthenware

Enamel Gold and Rock Crystal Figure of Emperor Maximilian I by Reinhold Vasters
Located in Queens, NY
A rare enamel, gold and rock crystal figure of Emperor Maximilian I by Reinhold Vasters, Aachen, In the Renaissance style, circa 1870. The g...
Category

Late 19th Century German Antique Renaissance Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Rock Crystal, Gold, Enamel

Renaissance figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Renaissance figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage figurative sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles, wall decorations and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with wood, metal and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Renaissance figurative sculptures made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and France pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original figurative sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Andrea Salvatori, Ferdinand Barbedienne, and Capodimonte. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for figurative sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $135 and tops out at $348,500 while the average work can sell for $7,236.

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