Renaissance Corner Chairs
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.
Early 1900s French Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Walnut
1890s French Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Fabric, Oak
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Oak
17th Century Italian Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Walnut
16th Century French Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Oak
2010s Brazilian Renaissance Corner Chairs
Teak
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Wicker, Oak
Early 20th Century Dutch Renaissance Corner Chairs
Cane, Wood
Late 18th Century British Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Oak
19th Century European Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Upholstery, Oak
Early 20th Century Dutch Renaissance Corner Chairs
Wool, Cane
Late 19th Century British Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Mahogany
1880s English Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Rush, Fruitwood
Early 20th Century French Renaissance Corner Chairs
Straw, Wood
Mid-20th Century French Renaissance Corner Chairs
Oak
1860s English Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Walnut, Fabric, Upholstery
19th Century French Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Cane, Beech
Early 20th Century Renaissance Corner Chairs
Upholstery, Hardwood
1920s Vintage Renaissance Corner Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century Italian Renaissance Corner Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-19th Century Scottish Antique Renaissance Corner Chairs
Walnut
1970s Unknown Vintage Renaissance Corner Chairs
Iron, Wrought Iron