Renaissance Loveseats
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.
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Walnut
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Walnut, Giltwood
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Wood
1970s Italian Vintage Renaissance Loveseats
Upholstery, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Renaissance Loveseats
Brass
1980s Vintage Renaissance Loveseats
Cotton
Early 20th Century Scandinavian Renaissance Loveseats
Upholstery, Mahogany
1880s French Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Fabric, Mahogany
19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Upholstery, Giltwood, Burl
1980s Italian Vintage Renaissance Loveseats
Leather, Lacquer
1890s French Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Walnut
19th Century Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Giltwood
1930s English Vintage Renaissance Loveseats
Fabric
1970s Vintage Renaissance Loveseats
Leather, Wood
19th Century European Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Leather, Linen, Oak
Late 19th Century French Antique Renaissance Loveseats
Oak
Early 2000s American Renaissance Loveseats
Giltwood, Velvet