Italian Renaissance interior design
Italian Renaissance interior design refers to interior decorations, furnishing and the decorative arts in Italy during the Renaissance period (c. mid-14th century - late-16th century).
Italy, in particular Florence and Tuscany, was the founding nation of the Renaissance artistic, cultural and social movement which swept across Europe and revolutionized European thought and philosophy. The Renaissance ended the Middle Ages and began a period of intensive learning, cultural appreciation and thought which still influences modern politics and society (Renaissance philosophy was mainly inspired by that of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece). Along with this new movement, a whole new set of architectural principles were put in place, and the old Medieval and Gothic styles were neglected, and Classical designs were preferred. Cities such as Florence, and later Rome, Venice, Vicenza, Padua, Verona, Pienza, Naples, Turin, Milan and Siena began to be influenced by these new styles, often constructing elegant piazzas, beautiful palaces and re-designing some of the cluttered urban arrangements of the Middle Ages. The architectural aim of the 15th and 16th centuries was to construct an ideal city, an urban settlement which was perfectly symmetrical, proportioned, spacious, elegant, grand and beautiful. No city in Italy truly reached this state, but many, such as Florence, Vicenza, Pienza and Rome became very similar, and were geometric and planned, full of palazzi and gardens. Scientific thought was also highlightened in the Renaissance, with new scientists such as Galileo Galilei, and the first ever female doctorate, Elena Piscopia (who graduated at the University of Padua). At the same time of this period of urbanisation and artistic thought, interior design was heavily affected too, changing nearly completely from that of the Middle Ages. The sumptuous palazzi of noblemen and the middle-classes began to be decorated with tapestries, sculptures, frescos and lavish furniture. The most powerful Italian families of the time, such as the Florentine Medici, the Roman Farnese, the Milanese Sforzas, the Italo-Spanish Borgias and the Urbinese Montefeltros had their palaces decorated with grand marble sculptures and beautiful paintings, representing wealth, power and prestige.
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