Cassone
Unknown Artist
ca. 1550–80 (rebuilt, with later additions)
Medium
Walnut, carved and partially gilded.
Dimensions
H. 70.5 cm, W. 149.8 cm, D. 45.7 cm.
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
Italian (Tuscany or Rome?)
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1939
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of Renaissance Italy this striking *cassone*, a lavish marriage chest crafted around 1550–80, possibly in Tuscany or Rome. Measuring about 70 cm high and 150 cm wide, this walnut woodwork exemplifies the grandeur of period furniture, designed not just for storage but as a symbol of wealth and marital alliance. Cassoni like this were often given as dowry gifts, their exteriors carved with intricate scenes to celebrate love, virtue, or classical tales, making them both functional heirlooms and artistic statements. The chest's medium—finely carved walnut with partial ...