Lucy Johnson
A rare, 16th century, cedar, Alto Adige chest on its original stand, and with an exceptional interior lid ( 1575 - 1600)
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Price:
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gbp 7400.00 (Pound Sterling)
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Medium:
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Cedar
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Dimensions:
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177.00cm wide
87.00cm high
68.00cm deep
(69.69 inches wide 34.25 inches high 26.77 inches deep)
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Description:
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The top is in three parts, and faced with a shallow, cleated, moulded edge. The front retains its original hasp and lockplate and, as usually found, the lock has been removed. Unusually the original ring hinges have survived. The interior reveals the magnificent lid which retains its original penwork and pierced decoration of sea creatures, objects and mythological beasts. The front is decorated with pierced, silhouettes of beasts, trees and figures. The sides are plain and retain their original carrying handles. On its original stand, with similar decoration, and bearing a cartouche which would have been decorated with the arms of its original owner. Italian, fourth quarter of the 16th century.
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Condition:
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This alto adige, chest is of a quality that I cannot find in English chests of the same period, and even extending into the first half of the 17th century. The decoration is very fine, and delightful in the array of sea creatures depicted. The connection of the region with the sea is very strong. It is rare to find a chest from this period retaining its original stand and, in practical terms, the stand makes the chest a comfortable height to use. The exterior of the chest is a beautiful, mellow colour and has developed a lustrous patina. These chests were made for nobles and aristrocrats from cedar specifically for storing their much prized and valued hangings, clothing and linens, since the wood repels moths and the sweet fragrance delicately scents fabrics.
Such cypress or cedar chests, incised in bas relief and pyrographically engraved, have long been associated with Venice. The 'cypress chests' containing 'arras, counterpoints, costely apparel, tents, and canopies, fine linen, Turkey cushions ... pewter and brass, and all things that belong to house of house-keeping' are mentioned in Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. One such cypress chest, filled with bed-hangings, was listed in the 1626 Inventory of Cockesden (P. Thornton, 'Two problems', Furniture History, 1971, p. 68). A group of related chests, surviving in English churches, are discussed by Charles Tracy, Continental Church Furniture in England, Woodbridge, 2001, pp. 142-157.
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