Inside the Renaissance House

by Elizabeth Curie

The Renaissance home was an outward symbol of a family’s status, wealth, and learning, so much care went into its arrangement and furnishing, as well as the art of household management. Through contemporary paintings and drawings, this fully illustrated book vividly conveys the reality of life in Florence and Venice during the era. Taking readers on a room-by-room tour through the Italian Renaissance house, from the sala (reception room) to the bedchamber, author Elizabeth Currie focuses on each one’s furnishings, appearance, and use, offering a rare insight into the life of the Renaissance family. Inside the Renaissance House is ideal for interior design enthusiasts and historians of the everyday.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Italy, Renaissance

96 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Heather Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a pretty little coffee-table book, but I'm a sucker for picture-heavy books showing interiors and everyday scenes. Lots of kitchen and dining scenes, plus chapters on bedrooms and studies. If you already have the more massive "At Home in Renaissance Italy", then there's no need to pick this book up … but I did anyway.

[Toni Kely-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this hard-back book at a 2nd-hand book fair. It's one of those lovely little finds you come across when looking through 100's of books and just about ready to give up! It's not a detailed book at only 96 pages but it has gorgeous, coloured pictures of paintings and artifacts that accompany text taking the reader on a tour of rooms in an Italian renaissance house. It includes the kitchen, bedroom, study, etc. and describes the social and everyday life of these families at this time.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent short text on the design of a Renaissance home, including what rooms were used for and how they were adorned.

[Alana White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific book. Found and purchased it in the bookstore in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Inside the Renaissance House

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

oooh, pretty. Great illustrations, very readable, and a new game I want to make called Pela il Chiu (pluck the owl).

[Mills College Library]

747.0945 C9767 2006