Chest
Category
Furniture
Date
1600 - 1620
Materials
cypress
Measurements
74 x 201.5 x 79 cm
Place of origin
Italy, Northern
Order this imageCollection
Kingston Lacy Estate, Dorset
NT 1254535
Summary
A cypress paneled chest decorated with pen work and poker work, Northern Italian, early 17th century. The hinged panelled top and front are decorated with mythological scenes. The central cartouche on top is inscribed 'Barbarus Hyde', probably to commemorate a marriage between the two, later added plinth base. The central cartouche on top is inscribed 'Barbarus Hyde', which suggests it came to the Banks family by inheritance by the marriage of John Bankes the Elder to Margaret Parker in 1691 whose mothers maiden name was Margaret Hyde (?).
Full description
The technique of flat, incised decoration with a cut away, punched background, known as intaglio carving (from the Italian ‘cut in’), is a feature of northern Italian and Alpine woodwork from about 1300. Cypress wood chests of various sizes like this one with inked and scorched scenes over intaglio carving have traditionally been associated with the Adige region of NE Italy but actually seem to have been made more widely across northern Italy from about 1500-1620. Cypress wood (like cedar to which it is very similar), is moderately hard and smooth textured, highly durable and fragrant, the colour a warm pale brown or light orange. The distinctive intaglio surface designs were worked using very small chisels, square punches, hot metal and ink, presumably applied with a metal knib. A wide range of lively scenes are depicted: hunts and battles, Biblical or literary subjects, animals and mythical beasts. Chests of this class were exported to destinations all over Europe and are frequently mentioned in English inventories of the 16th and early 17th century. See V&A collection W.3-1951 for a similar example and analysis of the timber by Adam Bowett. (NT1254535)
Provenance
The central cartouche on top is inscribed 'Barbarus Hyde', which suggests it came to the Bankes family by inheritance by the marriage of John Bankes the Elder to Margaret Parker in 1691 whose mother's maiden name was Margaret Hyde (?). Bequest of the estates of Corfe Castle and Kingston Lacy made to the National Trust by Henry John Ralph Bankes (1902-1981). NT ownership commenced from 19th August 1982.
Marks and inscriptions
Barbarus Hyde (inscribed)
References
Bowett, Adam 'Woods in British Furniture Making 1400-1900' London 2012