Renaissance Dressers
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.
Late 20th Century North American Renaissance Dressers
Mahogany
1970s North American Vintage Renaissance Dressers
Mahogany
18th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Dressers
Wood
Early 18th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Dressers
Wood
2010s Italian Renaissance Dressers
Glass
Mid-17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Dressers
Brass
16th Century French Antique Renaissance Dressers
Walnut
Early 17th Century French Antique Renaissance Dressers
Walnut
16th Century French Antique Renaissance Dressers
Oak
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Dressers
Hardwood, Mirror
18th Century German Antique Renaissance Dressers
Bronze
Early 19th Century American Antique Renaissance Dressers
Mahogany
18th Century Welsh Antique Renaissance Dressers
Oak, Pine
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Dressers
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Renaissance Dressers
Brass
20th Century North American Renaissance Dressers
Rattan
18th Century British Antique Renaissance Dressers
Oak
Late 18th Century English Antique Renaissance Dressers
Oak
1780s British Antique Renaissance Dressers
Oak
1920s English Vintage Renaissance Dressers
Oak
2010s American Renaissance Dressers
Mid-18th Century Welsh Antique Renaissance Dressers
Brass
Late 17th Century Portuguese Antique Renaissance Dressers
Wood
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Dressers
Fabric, Walnut
17th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Dressers
Wood
1960s Vintage Renaissance Dressers
Brass
Early 1900s Danish Antique Renaissance Dressers
Oak
16th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Dressers
Wood
18th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Dressers
Wood
1890s European Antique Renaissance Dressers
Walnut