Renaissance Era Wooden Cabinets

Wooden cabinets became one of the most important pieces of furniture in the homes of the Renaissance furniture period in Italy, and one of the most imposing. Such wooden cabinets were a way of showing dignity and wealth.

Large, sometimes monumental in their proportions, and richly carved or inlaid, these cabinets often displayed great artistry. They were decidedly architectural in form, sometimes being designed with the steps and columns of a temple. At first their outlines often followed those of Roman arches and sarcophagi, but later they were modified, and those of the sixteenth century exhibit considerable grace and variety. Into the 17th century Renaissance era cabinets often were made in an over elaborate and even bizarre style.