Cassone
Category
Furniture
Date
1580 - 1600
Materials
Cedar or Cypress
Measurements
75.8 x 187.5 x 74.5 cm
Place of origin
Italy
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 514382
Summary
A cedar or cypress cassone, North Italian possibly Alto Adige, late 16th century Carved in low relief and incised with poker work, the whole profusely decorated with biblical scenes, animals, soldiers, and unicorns, the hinged lid having this decoration to the top and underside, the chest incorporating another internal lid with conforming carving and decoration raised on a moulded plinth base. This piece is profusely decorated with exceptionally fine penwork decoration. It is most likely that it was made specifically for a British nobleman as a momento of his grand tour. The subject matter of the decoration may well reflect the interests and experiences of the nobleman on his travels and the images within the panels are probably drawn from engravings of the time. As this chest was made from cedar or cypress it was probably used to store clothing. The costume depicted in the designs suggests that this chest was made in the 1580’s with the narrower line of mens’ dress, the rosettes on the shoes, longer, fuller hairstyle and the pointed beard and moustache.
Full description
This piece is profusely decorated with exceptionally fine penwork decoration. It is most likely that it was made specifically for a British nobleman as a momento of his grand tour. The subject matter of the decoration may well reflect the interests and experiences of the nobleman on his travels and the images within the panels are probably drawn from engravings of the time. As this chest was made from cedar or cypress it was probably used to store clothing. The costume depicted in the designs suggests that this chest was made in the 1580’s with the narrower line of mens’ dress, the rosettes on the shoes, longer, fuller hairstyle and the pointed beard and moustache.
Provenance
Bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and the rest of the contents.