Renaissance Curtains and Valances
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.
Mid-20th Century Italian Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Silk
17th Century Belgian Antique Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Wool, Silk
20th Century Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Gold
21st Century and Contemporary American Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Cotton, Down
16th Century Antique Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Wool, Feathers
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Velvet
2010s Portuguese Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Cotton, Velvet
1950s Uzbek Vintage Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Cotton, Silk
1950s Swedish Vintage Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Linen
2010s American Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Silk
20th Century Moroccan Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Fabric
21st Century and Contemporary Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Silk, Velvet
2010s American Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Silk
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Renaissance Curtains and Valances
Velvet