Renaissance Benches
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.
20th Century Italian Renaissance Benches
Wrought Iron, Ormolu
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Benches
Wrought Iron
17th Century English Antique Renaissance Benches
Iron
1910s Spanish Vintage Renaissance Benches
Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Benches
Oak
1680s English Antique Renaissance Benches
Velvet, Oak
Early 20th Century Spanish Renaissance Benches
Wrought Iron
20th Century Belgian Renaissance Benches
Wood
20th Century Renaissance Benches
Iron
Mid-20th Century North American Renaissance Benches
Wrought Iron
1970s American Vintage Renaissance Benches
Wrought Iron
1870s French Antique Renaissance Benches
Oak
Early 20th Century European Renaissance Benches
Mahogany
20th Century Renaissance Benches
Metal, Wrought Iron
17th Century English Antique Renaissance Benches
Oak
1840s French Antique Renaissance Benches
1850s German Antique Renaissance Benches
Oak
1870s French Antique Renaissance Benches
Oak
1880s French Antique Renaissance Benches
Walnut
1870s Dutch Antique Renaissance Benches
Tapestry, Oak