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A Brief History of Renaissance Gothic - Old is New Again

Books and movies like Twilight and Harry Potter may indeed be inspiring a youthful but mainstream resurgence of Gothic or Renaissance Gothic designs not unlike those seen in castles. While designers all like to think that they have created the newest and most unique design more often than not their designs are simply a revival of much older furniture designs like those found in the original Renaissance Gothic style.

First inspired by the classic designs of the ancient Roman and Greek cultures, the Italians of the 14^th through the 17^th centuries first enjoyed the furniture that came to be identified as Renaissance Gothic. These pieces were massive and highly curved and reigned as a chosen décor for several centuries. The décor’s popularity spread to England and even France. By mid-century 1800’s a more modern form was in England and in the United States with carvings on cabinet fronts, arms and legs.

As the Civil War closed and President Lincoln was assassinated the pieces found in the more modern version became more elaborate and even more massive. From beds to sofas and buffets to dressers the woods of choice were heavy in girth and in carvings. By the end of the 1800’s you could find entire rooms or homes that looked as if the owner was a duke or an earl. Tables like the trestle styles found in the 14^th century were reborn. Architecturally the interiors began to emulate this period also by decorating mantels, ceilings and walls. Claw footed furniture also saw an incline.

Whether true European treasures or merely an American copy, Renaissance Gothic spread throughout the U.S. The copies were often so good that even now these vintage pieces are mistaken for true antiques. The Amish design tables like the trestle styles sought with Renaissance Gothic and can be crafted in various custom stains such as the New Carrington stain. The Chesterton Table is one such beautifully crafted trestle style table. It is designed with a 1.5″ plank style top, Mission edge, and the end pieces on top are tongue & groove construction with .5″ dowel-pins & wedges for strength and character. The Chesterton table base is a generous 42 x 80 size.

Tags: Amish Furniture, gothic, gothic furniture, renaiisance gothic history, renaissance gothic, renaissance gothic furniture

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 at 11:59 pm and is filed under Amish Furniture, Bedrooms, Dining Room Chairs, Dining Room Furniture, History of Furniture Making, Libraries and Offices, Mediterranean, Solid Wood Furniture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.