Medieval Religious Items
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.
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
17th Century Belgian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Silk, Velvet
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Parchment Paper
16th Century Belgian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Gold
15th Century and Earlier Spanish Antique Medieval Religious Items
Other
16th Century Belgian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Walnut
Early 20th Century European Medieval Religious Items
Wood
18th Century European Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood
Early 20th Century European Medieval Religious Items
Brass
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Metal
15th Century and Earlier Unknown Antique Medieval Religious Items
Hardwood, Paint
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
15th Century and Earlier European Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
2010s American Medieval Religious Items
Plaster
Early 19th Century German Antique Medieval Religious Items
Fruitwood, Oak
Early 19th Century European Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood, Oak
1910s Irish Vintage Medieval Religious Items
Sterling Silver
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
Late 19th Century Belgian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Brass
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
19th Century Spanish Antique Medieval Religious Items
Plaster
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Medieval Religious Items
Silver
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
Early 20th Century French Medieval Religious Items
Wrought Iron
Mid-18th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Oak
Late 18th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Iron
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
19th Century European Antique Medieval Religious Items
Terracotta, Paint
1950s Polish Vintage Medieval Religious Items
Wood
17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
Early 20th Century European Medieval Religious Items
Oak
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood, Walnut
1870s French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Oak, Wood
1950s Polish Vintage Medieval Religious Items
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze, Iron
Early 20th Century American Medieval Religious Items
Brass
1950s Belgian Vintage Medieval Religious Items
Wood
15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Religious Items
Stone
1950s Belgian Vintage Medieval Religious Items
Wood
15th Century and Earlier Spanish Antique Medieval Religious Items
Other
Mid-19th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Medieval Religious Items
Carrara Marble, Marble
Mid-18th Century Dutch Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood
Early 20th Century Belgian Medieval Religious Items
Brass, Bronze
15th Century and Earlier German Antique Medieval Religious Items
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century European Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
Early 20th Century Belgian Medieval Religious Items
Bronze
18th Century Greek Antique Medieval Religious Items
Coral, Silver
Mid-20th Century Dutch Medieval Religious Items
Brass
15th Century and Earlier Dutch Antique Medieval Religious Items
Oak, Paint
Late 19th Century French Antique Medieval Religious Items
Brass
1950s Polish Vintage Medieval Religious Items
Metal