at the end of the 15th century, a new classicising style arose, and early renaissance cassoni of central and northern italy were carved and partly gilded, and given classical décor, with panels flanked by fluted corner pilasters, under friezes and cornices, or with sculptural panels in high or low relief. some early to mid-sixteenth-century cassoni drew their inspiration from roman sarcophagi ("illustration, right"). by the mid-sixteenth century giorgio vasari could remark on the old-fashioned cassoni with painted scenes, examples of which could be seen in the palazzi of florentine families.