Box
1640–80
Medium
Oak, pine
Dimensions
9 1/2 x 28 1/4 x 18 1/2 in. (24.1 x 71.8 x 47 cm)
Classification
Box
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1909
Accession Number
10.125.2
Art Historical Context
Step into the humble yet enduring world of 17th-century colonial America with *Box*, crafted by William Buell around 1640–80. This sturdy oak and pine container, measuring 9½ x 28¼ x 18½ inches, exemplifies the practical artistry of early New England joiners. Bu, a skilled craftsman from Connecticut, likely produced it as a storage piece for household valuables, linens, or documents in a Puritan household where functionality reigned supreme. Made using traditional frame-and-panel joinery—mortise-and-tenon joints hand-cut without nails—this box highlights pre-industrial woodworking techniques....