The Renaissance (French for “rebirth”) Revival Period, 1860 -1875, includes various Italian Renaissance Revival and French Renaissance Revival styles. The Renaissance Revival style is based on the architecture of 16th-century Renaissance Italy and France, with additional elements borrowed from Ancient Greek and Roman and Egyptian architecture. During the Renaissance Revival style there were two separate phases which were popular.
The first phase, or the First Renaissance Revival, was from about 1840 to 1885, and the Second Renaissance Revival, which was characterized by larger and more elaborately decorated buildings, was from 1890 to 1915. Due to the expensive materials required and the elaborate style, Renaissance Revival was best suited for public and commercial buildings, and very grand homes for the wealthy.
Many of the Renaissance Revival Antique gas lights and sconces have natural motifs, animals, and trophies, pillars, and human faces. This period of antique lighting also is of a more rectangular construction and has the appearance of the massive forms. Straighter lines were also prevalent as were incised lines, angular scrolls , portrait medallions, and bronze or porcelain mounts/canopies.