A madia was a piece of furniture used during the High Renaissance period in Italy. A standing cupboard, the madia stored food and dishes, particularly bread, and were sometimes used as bread troughs. It is similar to the cassone, though generally more functional and less ornate.[1] It would usually be found in the kitchen, not in an open area.

One type of madia included a hutch-shaped cupboard, raised on end supports, with several doors and drawers. Others, more typical of the seventeenth century, were sarcophagus-shaped with a slanted top and paneled ends, often with brass studding.[2]

The madia fell into disuse after the eighteenth century.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Early Italian Wall Furniture". House & Garden. 31. 1917.
  2. ^ a b Donaldson Eberlein, Harold; Wearne Ramsdell, Roger (1927). The Practical Book of Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese Furniture. J.B. Lipponcott Company. Retrieved 14 February 2023.