Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
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.
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Steel
16th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
Early 18th Century European Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Iron, Wrought Iron
15th Century and Earlier English Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Stone, Steel
17th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Leather, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century Nigerian Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Metal
20th Century Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Bronze
19th Century French Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Pine
19th Century German Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Walnut
17th Century Swedish Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
20th Century African Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Iron
Early 20th Century American Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Cast Stone
Late 17th Century Italian Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1920s Vintage Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
1790s Belgian Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Hardwood
Early 20th Century European Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wire
15th Century and Earlier French Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wood, Oak, Giltwood
16th Century English Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
16th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
Early 19th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Mid-19th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
19th Century Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
16th Century English Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Oak
Early 19th Century English Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Walnut
16th Century English Antique Medieval Sculptures and Carvings
Oak