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Renaissance Decorative Objects

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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Period: 18th Century and Earlier
Style: Renaissance
French 16th/ 17th Century Weathered Oak Renaissance Angel Fragment
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful weathered oak winged angel head Renaissance ornament. France, 16/ 17th century. Weathered Measurements include the wooden pedestal.
Category

16th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Oak

Highly Important Jacques Bergé (Flemish, 1693 - 1756) King David Sculpture 1736
Located in Atlanta, GA
Jacques Bergé "King David" - Terracotta or Fired Clay with Polychrome Remnants Dated 1736 14.5" h x 5.5" w x 4.5" d A rare and exceptionally refined terracotta sculpture of *King ...
Category

Early 18th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Clay, Terracotta

Rare and important painted bronze Crucifix after a model by Michelangelo
By Michelangelo Buonarroti
Located in Leesburg, VA
A rare and very fine bronze corpus of Christ after a model by Michelangelo, cast ca. 1597-1600 by Juan Bautista Franconio and painted in 1600 by Francisco Pacheco in Seville, Spain. The present corpus reproduces a model attributed to Michelangelo. The best known example, lesser in quality, is one on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). The association of this corpus with Michelangelo was first brought to light by Manuel Gomez-Moreno (1930-33) who studied the wider circulated casts identified throughout Spain. The attribution to Michelangelo was subsequently followed by John Goldsmith-Phillips (1937) of the MET and again by Michelangelo expert, Charles de Tolnay (1960). While Michelangelo is best known for his monumental works, there are four documented crucifixes he made. The best known example is the large-scale wooden crucifix for the Church of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito in Florence, made in 1492 as a gift for the Prior, Giovanni di Lap Bicchiellini, for allowing him to study the anatomy of corpses at the hospital there. In 1562, Michelangelo wrote two letters to his nephew, Lionardo, indicating his intention to carve a wooden crucifix for him. In 1563 a letter between Lionardo and the Italian sculptor Tiberio Calcagni, mentions this same crucifix (a sketch of a corpus on the verso of a sheet depicting Michelangelo’s designs for St. Peter’s Basillica [Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille] may reproduce this). That Michelangelo was working on small corpora in the last years of his life is further evidenced by the small (26.5 cm) unfinished wooden crucifix located at the Casa Buonarroti, considered his last known sculptural undertaking. Michelangelo’s contemporary biographer, Giorgio Vasari additionally cites that Michelangelo, in his later years, made a small crucifix for his friend, Menighella, as a gift. Surviving sketches also indicate Michelangelo’s study of this subject throughout his career, most notably during the end of his life but also during the 1530s-40s as he deepened his spiritual roots. The occasional cameo of crucified Christ’s throughout his sketched oeuvre have made it challenging for scholars to link such sketches to any documented commissions of importance. All the while, in consideration that such objects were made as gifts, it is unlikely they should be linked with commissions. Nonetheless, a number of theories concerning Michelangelo’s sketches of Christ crucified have been proposed and some may regard the origin of the present sculpture. It has been suggested that the corpus could have its impetus with Michelangelo’s work on the Medici Chapel, whose exclusive design was given to the master. It is sensible smaller details, like an altar cross, could have fallen under his responsibility (see for example British Museum, Inv. 1859,0625.552). Others have noted the possibility of an unrealized large marble Crucifixion group which never came to fruition but whose marble blocks had been measured according to a sheet at the Casa Buonarroti. A unique suggestion is that Michelangelo could have made the crucifix for Vittoria Colonna, of whom he was exceedingly fond and with whom he exchanged gifts along with mutual spiritual proclivities. In particular, Vittoria had an interest in the life of St. Bridget, whose vision of Christ closely resembles our sculpture, most notably with Christ’s proper-left leg and foot crossed over his right, an iconography that is incredibly scarce for crucifixes. The suggestion could add sense to Benedetto Varchi’s comment that Michelangelo made a sculpted “nude Christ…he gave to the most divine Marchesa of Pescara (Vittoria Colonna).” Of that same period, two sketches can be visually linked to our sculpture. Tolnay relates it to a sketch of a Crucified Christ at the Teylers Museum (Inv. A034) of which Paul Joannides comments on its quality as suggestive of preparations for a sculptural work. Joannides also calls attention to a related drawing attributed to Raffaello da Montelupo copying what is believed to be a lost sketch by Michelangelo. Its relationship with our sculpture is apparent. Montelupo, a pupil of Michelangelo’s, returned to Rome to serve him in 1541, assisting with the continued work on the tomb of Pope Julius II, suggesting again an origin for the corpus ca. 1540. The earliest firm date that can be given to the present corpus is 1574 where it appears as a rather crudely conceived Crucifixion panel, flanked by two mourners in low-relief and integrally cast for use as the bronze tabernacle door to a ciborium now located at the Church of San Lorenzo in Padula. Etched in wax residue on the back of the door is the date, 27 January 1574, indicating the corpus would have at least been available as a model by late 1573. The Padula tabernacle was completed by Michelangelo’s assistant, Jacopo del Duca and likely has its origins with Michelangelo’s uncompleted tabernacle for the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Rome. The impetus for the Padula tabernacle’s Crucifixion panel begins with a series of late Crucifixion sketches by Michelangelo, depicting a scene of Christ crucified and flanked by two mourners (see British Museum Inv. 1895.0915.510; Ashmolean Museum Inv. 1846.89, KP II 343 recto; Windsor Castle RCIN 912761 recto; and Louvre Inv. 700). A faintly traced block possibly intended for sculpting the sketch of the crucified Christ on its recto was discovered by Tolnay on a version of the composition at Windsor Castle. The Windsor sketch and those related to it appear to have served as preparatory designs for what was probably intended to become the Basilica of St. Mary’s tabernacle door. Vasari documents that the project was to be designed by Michelangelo and cast by his assistant, Jacopo del Duca. Michelangelo died before the commission was complete, though on 15 March 1565, Jacopo writes to Michelangelo’s nephew stating, “I have started making the bronze tabernacle, depending on the model of his that was in Rome, already almost half complete.” Various circumstances interrupted the completion of the tabernacle, though its concept is later revitalized by Jacopo during preparations to sell a tabernacle, after Michelangelo’s designs, to Spain for Madrid’s El Escorial almost a decade later. The El Escorial tabernacle likewise encountered problems and was aborted but Jacopo successfully sold it shortly thereafter to the Carthusians of Padula. An etched date, 30 May 1572, along the base of the Padula tabernacle indicates its framework was already cast by then. A 1573 summary of the tabernacle also describes the original format for the door and relief panels, intended to be square in dimension. However, a last minute decision to heighten them was abruptly made during Jacopo’s negotiations to sell the tabernacle to King Phillip II of Spain. Shortly thereafter the commission was aborted. Philippe Malgouyres notes that the Padula tabernacle’s final state is a mixed product of the original design intended for Spain’s El Escorial, recycling various parts that had already been cast and adding new quickly finished elements for its sale to Padula, explaining its unusually discordant quality, particularly as concerns the crudeness of the door and relief panels which were clearly made later (by January 1574). Apart from his own admission in letters to Spain, it is apparent, however, that Jacopo relied upon his deceased master’s designs while hastily realizing the Padula panels. If Michelangelo had already earlier conceived a crucifix model, and Jacopo had access to that model, its logical he could have hastily employed it for incorporation on the door panel to the tabernacle. It is worth noting some modifications he made to the model, extending Christ’s arms further up in order to fit them into the scale of the panel and further lowering his chin to his chest in order to instill physiognomic congruence. A crude panel of the Deposition also follows after Michelangelo’s late sketches and is likewise known by examples thought to be modifications by Jacopo based upon Michelangelo’s initial sculptural conception (see Malgouyres: La Deposition du Christ de Jacopo del Duca, chef-d’oeuvre posthume de Michel-Ange). Jacopo’s appropriation of an original model by Michelangelo for more than one relief on the Padula tabernacle adds further indication that the crucifix was not an object unique to Jacopo’s hand, as few scholars have posited, but rather belongs to Michelangelo’s original...
Category

16th Century Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

16th Century Italian Renaissance Carving of a Male Saint
Located in Stamford, CT
16th century Italian carved and polychromed figure of a male saint or prophet with a wonderful presence. Shown holding an open book in his right hand with flames at his feet, mid-16t...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Italian Renaissance Carved Wooden Angel Head
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian renaissance hand carved wooden "putto" angel head, circa 15th Century Width 14 inches / height 14 inches / depth 4 inches 1 available in stock in Italy Order reference #: FAB...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Antique Rare 15th Century Venetian Casket Former Dr. Albert Figdor Collection
Located in Doha, QA
This exceptional 15th-century Venetian painted casket is a rare example of early decorative art from the late Medieval to early Renaissance period in the Republic of Venice, Italy. H...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Paint

Large Pair of English Renaissance Repousse Brass Candlesticks.
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Large Pair of English Renaissance Repousse Brass Candlesticks. Seventeenth century English embossed brass candlesticks from about 1650. This rare pair of beautifully created candle ...
Category

17th Century English Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Brass

16th-17th Century French Carved Oak Panel with an Angel Figure
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful weathered oak panel with an wonderful primitive angel figure. On the bottom of this angel you can also see two small eagle heads. France, circa 1550-1650, weathered, small...
Category

16th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Oak

Large 18th Century, Italian or French White Marble Mortar Phenomenal Patina
Located in Atlanta, GA
Likely Italian or French, 18th century. An impressive and large mortar carved from a single block of white marble. Showing phenomenal antique patina - this piece was heavily used du...
Category

18th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Heavy 16th Century French Bronze Mortar with Handles, Dated 1587, 109 lbs
Located in Dallas, TX
A large and heavy (it weighs 109 lbs!) example of a traditional French pharmacy bowl, this bronze mortar with handles is from 1587, as seen on the production date beneath the molded ...
Category

16th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal, Bronze

Bronze Pharmacy Mortar Italy-17° Century
Located in Brussels, Brussels
Elegant bronze mortar from the 17 century from Italy dated 1630. Really rare mortar due to his big size. In very good condition and beautiful patina.
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

LATE 16th CENTURY SMALL WALNUT BOX
Located in Firenze, FI
Elegant solid walnut small box, entirely hand-carved. The rectangular chest features an opening top, ideal for storing objects. The front, back, and sides are decorated with geometri...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Nutwood

Bronze salamander - 17th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Bronze salamander Italy, 17th century Patinated bronze 4 x 17 x 10 cm This finely cast bronze salamander exemplifies the 17th-century fascination with naturalistic forms and animal ...
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

18th Century Italian Maiolica Blue and White Alborello Pharmacy Jar #1
Located in Bradenton, FL
18th Century Italian Majolica Albarello Pharmacy Jar. Jar is in a cylindrical shape with flared rim and foot. Jar features blue and white pattern with the word "Charitas" in an oval ...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Maiolica

Wood Low-Relief Depicting a Werewolf and Saint George
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Exceptional polychrome wood low-relief depicting a werewolf and saint george after a woodcut by lucas cranach (“DER WERWOLF” 1512) Provenance : collection Brimo de Laroussihle colle...
Category

16th Century German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Life-Size Carved Wood Sculpture of a Man's Head circa 1700 South European
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Stunning life-size carved wood sculpture of a man's head dating from circa 1700 in the south of Europe.  
Category

1690s European Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

18th Century/Older Italian Renaissance Style Carved Verdigris Marble Table Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
18th Century or Older Italian Renaissance Style Carved Verdigris Marble Table Box  This exquisite 18th-century or older carved Verdigris marble table box epitomizes Italian Renaissa...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

A Very Rare and Important Marble Relief of the ‘Resurrection of Christ’
Located in London, GB
A Very Rare and Important Marble Relief of the ‘Resurrection of Christ’ Attributed to the Master of the Mascoli Altar Marble Venice, Italy Second half of the 15th Century SIZE: ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

Paolo di Giovanni Sogliani - Processional Cross Florence, around 1515
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Paolo di Giovanni Sogliani (Florence 1455-1522) Processional Cross Florence, around 1515 Enameled, chiseled, engraved, stippled, and gilded copper; wooden core ; Inscription: "OPA...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Copper, Enamel

15th Century French Carved Limestone Head Fragment
Located in Chicago, IL
An incredible and rare 15th century French carved limestone fragment depicting the back of a man's head with a wavy hair texture, and mounted on a c...
Category

15th Century and Earlier French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

PAIR OF PORTUGUESE COLUMNS 17th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
PAIR OF PORTUGUESE COLUMNS 17th Century in chestnut wood with carvings, decorated with plant motifs, putties. Small flaws, traces of treated woodpeckers. Dim.: 141 x 22 cm. very go...
Category

17th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

PAIR OF PORTUGUESE COLUMNS 17th Century
PAIR OF PORTUGUESE COLUMNS 17th Century
$6,170 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Indo-Portuguese sculpture "Lady Conception" 17th century, H 147cm
Located in Madrid, ES
Indo-Portuguese sculpture "Lady Conception" 17th century, H 147cm. Our Lady Conception Indo-Portuguese teak wood carving from the 17th century. Upholstered and polychrome . T he ...
Category

17th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

18th Century Italian Maiolica Blue and White Alborello Pharmacy Jar #2
Located in Bradenton, FL
18th Century Italian Majolica Albarello Pharmacy Jar. Jar is in a cylindrical shape with flared rim and foot. Jar features blue and white pattern with the word "Charitas" in an oval ...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Maiolica

Italian Ancient Marble Sculpture Fountain, Late 16th Century
Located in Milano, IT
Sea monster Carrara marble mouth fountain Italy, late 16th century It measures 13.8 x 31.5 x 18.9 in (35 x 80 x 48 cm) State of conservation: some small evident gaps and widespread signs of wear due to outdoor exposure. The gray marks crossing it do not come from restoration, but are rather the natural veins of the marble. This work has some morphological characteristics typically associated with the iconography of the sea monster: an elongated muzzle, sharp teeth, protruding eyes, elongated ears, and a coiled serpent's tail. An in-depth series of studies on artistic depictions of the sea monster attempted to verify how this symbol evolved in antiquity in the European and Mediterranean contexts and how it gradually changed its image and function over time. The iconography itself is mutable and imaginative and its history is rich with cultural and artistic exchange, as well as the overlapping of ideas. This occurred so much that it is difficult to accurately pinpoint the "types" that satisfactorily represent its various developments. However, we can try to summarize the main figures, starting from the biblical Leviathan and the marine creature that swallowed Jonah (in the Christian version, this figure was to become a whale or a "big fish", the “ketos mega”, translation of the Hebrew “dag gadol”). Other specimens ranged from the dragons mentioned in the Iliad (which were winged and had legs) to "ketos” (also from Greek mythology), the terrifying being from whose Latinized name (“cetus”) derives the word "cetacean". See J. Boardman, “Very Like a Whale” - Classical Sea Monsters, in Monsters and Demons in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds, in Papers presented in Honor of Edith Porada, Mainz am Rhein 1987, pp. 73-84). In Italy the monster underwent yet further variations: it can be found in Etruscan art on the front of some sarcophagi representing the companion of souls, while among the Romans we find the “Pistrice” (cited by Plinio in Naturalis Historia PLIN., Nat., II 9, 8 and by Virgilio in Eneide: VERG., Aen., III, 427), which appeared in the shape of a stylized hippocampus or a very large monstrous cetacean and evolved into a hideous being with a dragon's head and long webbed fins. During the Middle Ages, the sea monster was the object of new transformations: at this time, it is often winged, the head is stretched like a crocodile, the front legs are often very sharp fins - sometimes real paws - until the image merges with dragons, the typical figures of medieval visionary spirituality widely found throughout Europe (on this topic and much more, see: Baltrušaitis, J., Il Medioevo fantastico. Antichità ed esotismi nell’arte gotica, Gli Adelphi 1997). In Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries, the revival of classicism - representative of the humanistic and Renaissance periods - led to a different reading of these "creatures". Indeed, the sea monster was also to find widespread use as an isolated decorative motif, especially in numerous fountains and sculptures where dolphins or sea monsters were used as a characterizing element linked to water (on this theme see: Chet Van Duzer, Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, London, The British library, 2013). From the morphological point of view, the "sea monsters" of this period are mostly depicted as hybrid figures, in which the body of a mythological or real being (a hippocampus, a sea snake, a dolphin), is joined to a head with a rather indistinct appearance. It was usually characterized by large upright ears, an elongated snout, sharp teeth and globular, protruding eyes; a complex and indefinite figure, both from the symbolic point of view and from that of its genesis. The work we are examining is placed as a cross between the medieval sea serpent and the Renaissance dolphin, with stylistic features which recall the snake as often used in heraldry (such as the "snake" depicted in the coat of arms of the Visconti - the lords and then dukes of Milan between 1277 and 1447 - and which, for some, may be derived from the representations of the “Pistrice” that swallowed Jonah). In the search for sources, Renaissance cartography and in particular woodcuts should not be neglected. See for example the monsters of Olaus Magnus, from the editions of the “Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus” (“History of the peoples of the north”) and the natural histories of Conrad Gesner, Ulisse...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Carrara Marble

Italian Corpus Christi
Located in 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NL
Hand-carved Italian Corpus Christi with traces of polychromy. This sculpture reflects the transition from Gothic to Renaissance style.
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Sevres Style Pair Of Gilt Cobalt Blue Urns
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Pair of Gilt Cobalt Blue Urns. Both Urns depict a cobalt blue background that is decorated in the center with a hand painted country side landscape enhanced by a maid playi...
Category

18th Century Unknown Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Porcelain

15th Century Italian Renaissance Bronze Medallion
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Renaissance bronze medallion made by Master IOFF in the mid 15th century, showing the mythological scene of Ariadne on Naxos. Made in the mid-15th ...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Antique 16th century Rare Venetian Hand-Carved Walnut Polychromed Frame
Located in Doha, QA
An outstanding 16th century Italian (Venetian ) solid walnut and partially polychromed frame. Beautifully hand carved birds and flowers, this style was typical for Venetian time of 1...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Embriachi workshop marquetry casket - Northern Italy, 15th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Embriachi workshop marquetry casket Northern Italy, 15th century Alla certosina inlays (bone, stained bone, pewter and wood) H 28.2 x W 18 x D 14 cm This beautiful casket of rectangular form is richly decorated with the characteristic geometric patterns of the Embriachi style. The intricate geometric patterns are fashioned by juxtaposing lighter and darker pieces of wood, (colored) bone, horn and pewter. The lid and base are framed by a broad band of horn. When ivory became scarce in Europe due to disrupted trade routes, bone was substituted. The attention to Symmetry and balance created an harmonious visual effect Enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the casket. The application of geometrical motifs is in Italy known as marquetry ‘alla Certosina’, named after the Certosina Church in Pavia with its famous altarpiece decorated in this way. This is ‘intarsia technique’, a term derived from the Arabic 'tarsi', which means ‘incrustation' recalling ancient mosaics made from various materials. These geometric elements not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the caskets but also demonstrate the versatility and skill of the artisans in creating multifaceted works of art. ‘Alla Certosina’ became famous through the Northern Italian Embriachi family who achieved a particularly high standard in working in this technique. Venice in particular was known for the production of these luxurious boxes. The caskets, hexagonal or rectangular, surmounted by a lid decorated in several registers constitute the secular, albeit equally renowned component of the workshop’s production, in addition to mirror frames and various everyday objects. The method of fabrication of those objects was based on two concepts that underlay pre-industrial production: standardization and modularity, thanks to a distribution of skills according to the different phases of fabrication. even the realization of the marquetry motifs (in the form of ingots from which portions of the desired size were cut) were therefore entrusted to various specialized craftsmen, as were the assembly phase. Today better known thanks to the extensive research work recently carried out by Michele Tomasi, this workshop owes its name to its founder and owner, the Florentine Baldassare Ubriachi (or degli Embriachi), a merchant and banker established in the Tuscan capital before he settled in Venice in 1395. Together with sculptor Giovanni di Jacopo, who directed the workshop, from the last years of the fourteenth century, Baldassare oversaw a production that was truly original, and still easily recognizable today, comprising monumental altarpieces and various objects, primarily triptychs and caskets. The precise location of the workshop is unknown, except that it originated in Florence and in ca. 1431 there was apparently a workshop in Venice, in the area of S Luca. They employed local workers specializing in 'certosina' (inlay of stained woods, bone and horn), and the workshop produced items carved in bone (usually horse or ox) with wood and bone marquetry. The geometric decoration of Embriachi caskets reflects the artistic complexity and attention to detail that characterized their work. this inlaid casket is a testament to the skill and artistry of the Embriachi family and serves as a stunning example of the decorative arts of the late Middle Ages. Related Literature : E. Berger, Prunk-Kassetten: Europäischen Meisterwerke aus acht Jahrhunderten / Ornamental Caskets...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Pewter

Renaissance Inkwell Calamelli workshop, Italy, Faenza, second half of the 16th
By Virgiliotto Calamelli
Located in Milano, IT
Inkwell Calamelli workshop (attr.). Faenza, second half of the 16th century Height 4.33 in; length 8.07 in; depth 2.95 in (11 cm; 20.5 cm; 7.5 cm) Weight: 0.800 lb (363 g) State of conservation: some chipping to the top of the mask around the mouth. Handle glued, without any restorations; minor chips in some raised areas. This object has the shape of a foot wearing Greek-style footwear, as can be seen in some raised areas. The foot is anatomically modeled with bare toes, while the ankle is partially covered by the footwear. On the heel, there is a small circular handle to support the object. The mouth of the container is shaped like a mask. The interior, completely enameled, suggests that the piece was intended to be used as an inkwell or to contain some other liquid. The base, however, is not enamelled. The painted decoration, scant and brief, consists of rapid cobalt blue shading between the toes of the foot, with more precise emphasis on the nails. It is accompanied by yellow citrine accents to enhance the forms. The mask is painted with the tip of the brush, to accentuate the tense nature of the eyes and to accentuate their outline. Thin strokes of yellow-orange line the interior of the mouth. Since the Renaissance, this decoration has been referred to as "compendiaria" and it characterizes the period of production extending from the mid-16th century to approximately the middle of the following century. It significantly influenced tastes at the time. It evolved from the polychrome style "istoriato" and transformed into a new style that "summarized" (compendia), or condensed, the ornamentation of the works into a few colors, placing greater prominence on the shapes. It was often inspired by metal specimens. Since the Renaissance, this decoration has been referred to as "compendiaria" and it characterizes the period of production extending from the mid-16th century to approximately the middle of the following century. It significantly influenced tastes at the time. It evolved from the polychrome style "istoriato" and transformed into a new style that "summarized" (compendia), or condensed, the ornamentation of the works into a few colors, placing greater prominence on the shapes. It was often inspired by metal specimens. This artwork finds parallels in similar objects all characterized by this refined style and produced in the city of Faenza and other Italian centers starting from the mid-16th century. The closest comparable example in majolica is a foot acquired by the British Museum in 2011 (inv. 2011, 8008.1). This was previously published by Carmen Ravanelli Guidotti in 1996 and later by Dora Thornton in 2016 during the conference on Renaissance ceramics...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Maiolica

Renaissance Period Hand Carved Oak Panels, 16th Century
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Set of two 16th century oak panels, one representing a character accompanied by a dog, the other a character in flames, probably saints. These ...
Category

16th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Oak

16th Century Stone Classical Roman Style Torso
Located in Vosselaar, BE
A wonderful 16th century draped female torso in classical style. Made in France under Italian Renaissance influence this female torso is finely sculpted with great detail to the stol...
Category

16th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Sandstone

Extremely Rare Rotterdammer Tile with Two Men in a Boat, Early 17th Century
Located in AMSTERDAM, NH
An extremely rare, so-called, Rotterdammer tile, with the decoration of a sailboat. Country: The Netherlands Place: Rotterdam Date: circa 1615 - 1620 Workshop: Claes Wijtmans This tile comes from one of the most rare and sought after tile series...
Category

Early 17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Ceramic, Majolica

Pair of 18th Century Candlesticks
Located in Dallas, TX
This listing features a set of 18th century style candle sticks.
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Renaissance Winged Cherub Relief
- Florence, 15th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Renaissance Winged Cherub Relief
Florence, Second Half of the 15th Century
Stone with traces of polychromy Provenance: Important private collection, Northern Italy This exceptional...
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone

Two rare Figures in Turkish Attire - Venice, early 17th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Rare Bronzes Depicting two Figures in Turkish Attire Possibly Suleiman the Magnificent at two different ages bronzes, alabaster bases Venice, early 17th century 19,5 x 6 x 5 cm These two rare bronze statuettes represent two figures dressed in elaborate "Turkish" attire. They are mounted on alabaster bases with bronze reliefs—one featuring the winged lion of Venice, and the other possibly symbolizing Turkey with a wolf depiction. One figure wears a grand külah, a spherical turban with a cone top, signifying royal authority, while the other has a wrapped turban, denoting rank and religious identity. Their garments are richly detailed with intricate engravings, suggesting luxurious fabrics of the Ottoman court. The statuettes may represent Suleiman the Magnificent at two different stages of life, as both young and old. The sultan depicted alongside the winged lion corresponds to a description from a Venetian delegate in 1534, when Suleiman was 43. At that time, he had conquered Iraq from the Safavids and achieved a decisive victory over the Papal fleet at the Battle of Preveza. He was described as having large eyes, an aquiline nose, and long red mustaches—traits visible in Cristofano dell'Altissimo’s portrait of Suleiman in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Unlike Mehmed II, who commissioned portraits by European artists for diplomatic purposes, Suleiman did not directly order such representations. Instead, his likeness spread through works by artists like Albrecht Dürer, based on sketches made by diplomats. Following his capture of Belgrade in 1521, his victory over Hungary in 1526, and his siege of Vienna...
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Alabaster, Bronze

Antique 17th Century Carved Boxwood Cherub Wall Hanging
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
An antique carved boxwood cherub decorative wall hanging dating to circa 1650. Crafted in boxwood, this renaissance style sculpture depicts a detailed handcarved cherub or putti bea...
Category

Mid-17th Century English Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood, Boxwood

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, Plaquette After Riccio, Italian 17th Century
By Andrea Briosco (Riccio)
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Judith with the head of Holofernes, unsigned rectangular cast bronze plaquette, by Andrea Briosco, called Riccio (1470-1532), Judith...
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Italian 18th C. Majolica Wet Drug or Syrup Jar
Located in Bradenton, FL
A beautifully decorated 18th century Italian Majolica faience ‘wet’ or syrup albarello/drug jar. Blue and white having a front reserve, blue and white scrolls to body. Beautifully de...
Category

18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Pottery

AFTER A MODEL BY GIAMBOLOGNA (1529–1608) - Pacing Bull
Located in Bruxelles, BE
AFTER A MODEL BY GIAMBOLOGNA (1529–1608)
 Pacing Bull
17th century
 Bronze, on an ebonised wood base H totale 15 x L 11,5 x P 8,2 cm Since antiquity, the bull has been venerated as ...
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Large 16th Century German Carved Basswood Saint Sebastian Sculpture
Located in London, GB
Antique Saint Sebastian Sculpture, Antique Saint Sebastian Statue, Antique Religious Sculpture, Religious Antique Sculpture, Antique Religious C...
Category

15th Century and Earlier German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Chest. Carved wood, metal. Spanish school, 16th century.
Located in Madrid, ES
Chest. Carved wood, metal. Spanish school, 16th century. Rectangular casket with a flat lid decorated on the outside with a series of figurative reliefs in a symmetrical arrangemen...
Category

16th Century Spanish Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal, Other

massive rare south German lion bronze Door Knocker, 17th Century
Located in Tel Aviv - Jaffa, IL
very big and massive bronze door knocker, German or maybe Italian in origin, 16-17th century, amazing green original patina to the face, some scares and dings to the face which gives...
Category

Late 17th Century German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Collection of 4 Vintage Pharmacy Mortars, Bronze and Marble, 17th-20th Century
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Charming collection of 4 vintage European bronze, brass and marble pharmacy and herbalist mortars ranging in age from the 17th-20th century. Each shows evidence of working use. Rangi...
Category

17th Century British Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble, Brass, Bronze

Early 17th Italian Renaissance Box Set Ebony, Gilded Bronze and Gemstones
Located in Pistoia, IT
Rare and valuable ebony-plated domed case with rich gilt bronze decoration and central jasper medallion. Italian Renaissance manufacture from the early 17th century. The production...
Category

Early 17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Rare Miniature Frame, Rome 17th Century
Located in Walkertshofen, BY
Rare gilded wooden frame qualified by a polychrome painted metal band with tiny foliage ornaments. Silver metal sconces chiselled with cherub heads between scrolls. Rome, 17th Two co...
Category

17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal

Antique Catholic German Renaissance Carving Bust Stephan Rottaler Landshut 1500
Located in Portland, OR
An exceptionally rare antique German Renaissance carving by Stephan Rottaler (1581-1533), Bavaria circa 1500. The carving is by Stephan Rottaler, Landshut, Germany, an architect who ...
Category

16th Century German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Gesso, Wood

16th Century Southern Germany Carved Wood Bracket Depicting a Mermaid
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
In Medieval Europe and even more during the early 16th century fantastic beasts could be found in Bestiaries, a literary genre close to poetry. A bestiary used the characteristics of...
Category

16th Century German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Bronze Statue Hans Peisser and Pankraz Labenwolf, Attributed to, Warrior
Located in Milano, IT
The bronze statue depicts a Turkish warrior with shield and sword. the warrior is shown bare without veils, with a base also made of oval-shaped bronze, acting in a war scene. Detai...
Category

16th Century German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Large White Marble Mortar 16th Century
Located in Bonita Springs, FL
A very large and unique white marble mortar from the 16th century with sculpted side mascarons. This imposing piece has great patina and character. It looks impressive set in a coffe...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Marble

16th Century Southern Germany Wood Figure of Saint Roch
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Easily recognizable with his gesture of showing pest effect on his thigh this pilgrim saint is accompanied by an angel curing him. The quality of the wood is noteworthy. Bibliography Louis Réau, Iconographie de l’Art Chrétien...
Category

16th Century German Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Saint Ambrose Archbishop of Milan and Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo, 16th Cent
Located in North Miami, FL
A pair of 16th Century Italian wood carved figures of Saint Ambrose Archbishop of Milan and Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo, two of the four original Doc...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Fra Mattia Della Robbia, Saint Joseph, Tuscany, Around 1505-1510
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Fra Mattia Della Robbia (Firenze 1468-1534) Saint Joseph Terracotta Tuscany, around 1505-1510 55 x 40 x 30 cm Marco della Robbia the Younger (April 6, 1468 in Florence - 15...
Category

16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

A 19 Century Bronze Statue of St Joan of Arc in full body armour on horseback
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An small but exquisitely cast and highly detailed bronze statue of St Joan of Arc in full body battle armour including the horse with one hand holding ...
Category

Mid-18th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Bronze

Christ - Umbria, second half of the 15th century
Located in Bruxelles, BE
Christ
 Umbria, Orvieto?
 Second half of the 15th century
 77 x 16.5 cm
Category

15th Century and Earlier Italian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Walnut

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 Decorative Objects

Materials

Terracotta

Hand Carved Stone Column Base Pedestal Sculpture Doorstop Decorative Element LA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Hand Carved Stone Column Base pedestal Sculpture Doorstop Decorative Element LA . Nicely hand carved 17th century Renaissance stone column base appli...
Category

17th Century French Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Stone

Pair of rare statues , Noah and King David, Flanders, early 16th century
Located in PARIS, FR
Noah and King David, Flanders, early 16th century Rare wood carvings in the round of Noah holding the Ark and King David holding his lyre. Noah, a biblical figure, is the tenth and l...
Category

16th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Pair of 16th Century Carved Wooden Terms or Beam Supports from Northern Europe
Located in Dallas, TX
A fascinating bit of history, this pair of carved wooden terms dates to the High Renaissance during the 1500s. A term is a beam support in the form of a human head where the bust con...
Category

16th Century European Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Metal, Iron

Holy Bishop Sculpture 18th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Holy Bishop sculpture 18th century Portuguese sculpture, from the 18th century. in upholstered, polychrome and gilded wood. Fingers flaws. faults and defects, Measure: Height:...
Category

18th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Decorative Objects

Materials

Wood

Holy Bishop Sculpture 18th Century
Holy Bishop Sculpture 18th Century
$7,594 Sale Price
20% Off

Renaissance decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Renaissance decorative objects 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 decorative objects created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, more furniture and collectibles, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Renaissance decorative objects 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 decorative objects, popular names associated with this style include Europa Antiques, Ferdinand Barbedienne, deBlona, and Andrea Salvatori. 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 decorative objects differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $100 and tops out at $348,500 while the average work can sell for $4,296.

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