Venetian cedar wood cassone

Mid to late 16th century cedar wood cassone, carved and decorated with penwork, this large chest would have been made for a wealthy client for storage of their fine and valuable clothing and hangings, as the cedar repelled moths.

The front carved with creatures, hunting scenes, and human activities. The sides with very faint traces of men and women with musical instruments in penwork.

Inside the lid it is decorated with Royal courtly scenes with mythical beasts and musicians on one panel and another panel with a garden scene with people standing around a fountain.A huge centre panel with a coat of arms with hunting scenes with a wyvern/ winged beast.  Bordering these panels are dogs chasing hares within scrolled foliate.

Flanking the whole picture on both sides are a man playing a musical instrument and a woman picking fruit, both standing on a chequered tiled floor within a columned arcade.

The inside back board and inside right side panel with penwork decorated beasts with lions, unicorns,winged dragons, hounds and hares of the best quality.

This cassone would have been expensive to make and decorate. Rare huge size, more a work of art than a piece of furniture.