Italian Cassone

Museum number

F178

Object

Italian Cassone

Description

Chest or cassone (Marriage Chest) of cypresswood, the front and sides with incised decorative panels of allegorical scenes including The triumph of Love, Mars' Armour borne in Triumph, David and Goliath. Inside the lid is similar incised heraldic and scrolling decoration. Replacement pine stepped and moulded base.Cedar or cypresswood, with chiselled background to low relief allegorical scenes on front and sides. Front: left to right:Goliath(?) in a domed architectural frame "The Triumph of Love" - a cart being pulled by a lion, a putto with arrow riding on it. Three couples - scrolling foliage border beneath. Angel and two(?) heraldic beasts in scrolling foliage above (Gothic illuminated manuscript inspiration). Central scene with elaborate, three tier Renaissance fountain with angels to either side and two nude men and two beasts at base. Right: Possibly the armour of Mars borne along in triumph, in similar border to lefhand scene. Far right - (?) David fighting a lion - domed architectural frame. To sides inkwork(?) dragon in scrolled foliate border.Inside lid is similar heraldic and scrolling foliate decoration in inkwork(?). Stepped and moulded base in pine (a replacement). See similar example at Montacute.

Materials

Cypresswood

Inscription

None

On display?

No

Further description

Simple name

Furniture

Subject

Biblical

Dimensions

regular: 56.0cm (d) x 57.0cm (h) x 184.1cm (w)