432 THE RENAISSANCE MOVEMENT

Cabinets and chests of drawers developed when legs were added
to the low chests. The credenza, or domestic cupboard, is an
elevated chest with doors—the forerunner of the modern side-
board. The armoire is another interesting cabinet.

The earliest tables were simple trestle tables; they were fol-
lowed by refectory tables. Small pedestal tables and wall tables
with drawers were also used.

Beds were often placed on platforms. They had high paneled
head boards and low foot boards in the earlier stage. Later four
posts were added, and finally the posts were made high enough
to support testers, from which hung rich fabrics.

Well into the fifteenth century benches, stools, and chests were
generally used to sit on. At first chairs were only for the digni-
taries, but by the sixteenth century they were in general use.
There are several distinct types of chairs. The sgabelli chair,
which developed from the simple wooden stool, was used in
northern Italy and its neighboring countries. The cross-legged
or curule Roman chair developed into the Savonarola chair, which
sometimes had many ribs, and also into the ribless Dante chair.
These chairs were often covered with tooled leather. The out-
standing chair of this period, however, was high-backed and of
rectangular structure. It had fine proportions, restrained carved
decoration, and beautiful upholstery edged with fringe.

Fabrics, In the earlier Renaissance fabrics the small Byzantine
patterns were used. When Italian weavers made their own designs
they kept the ogee plan of arrangement but used large patterns of
urns and conventionalized flowers. Many of these were made in
rich red and gold velvet which was used with gold galloon. Later
in the period came a change in design, Venetian cut velvets being
made in small geometric or floral all-over patterns in two-color
effects. Velvets, brocades, damasks, and cloth of gold were used
throughout the Renaissance.

Minor Arts* All articles, utilitarian or decorative, were well
designed and perfectly made at this time. Cellini was the master
goldsmith and jeweler working in Florence and Rome. The Delia
Robbia family of sculptors made their famous enameled terra
cottas in Florence, and in Venice glassware for service and fat
decoration was produced and exported.