Hexagonal Casket
early 15th century
Medium
Wood, bone, paint, gilding, iron, velvet, and metal-wrapped textile
Dimensions
Overall: 7 5/16 x 5 7/8 x 5 5/16 in. (18.5 x 15 x 13.5 cm)
Classification
Ivories-Bone
Culture
North Italian
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.149.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Hexagonal Casket* from a North Italian workshop, crafted the early 15th, exemplifies the refined artistry of late medieval luxury goods. Measuring just 7 5/16 x 5 7/8 x 5 5/16 inches, its compact hexagonal form—uncommon for caskets—suggests it designed for portability, perhaps to hold jewels, relics, or personal devotional items. The structure combines a wooden core with intricate bone plaques, enhanced by vibrant paint, shimmering gilding, iron fittings for security, and luxurious velvet or metal-wrapped textile interiors, showcasing the era's mastery of mixed media. Artistic...