Decorative arts

Cassone

1 of 4

Type: Decorative arts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 16th century with later additions
Accession number: 27.165
Maker: Bartolommeo Neroni(Opens in new tab) (Italian, 1500–1571)
Medium: gilded walnut
Description: This marriage chest with tapered edges is decorated with a coat of arms supported by putti and with panels containing carved figure groups of mythological subjects on gilt background.
Credit: The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. The Arabella D. Huntington Memorial Art Collection.
Department: European Art
Find out more: View in the Art Museum catalog(Opens in new tab)

Label text

Cassoni (chests) are storage containers that were typically given as wedding gifts. Some front panels were carved, as on this example, while others were painted, as are the two panels displayed in the same room (26.120-26.121). The ornamentation could include mythological or allegorical scenes concerning marriage or love, family crests, and classically inspired motifs.