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 was sometimes used as a bread trough. 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]
