Title
Pastiglia Cassone
Date
c. 1475
Description
A PASTIGLIA CASSONE (Italian, c. 1475) attributed to the workshop of Francesco di Giorgio, Sienna, Italy, possibly executed with the help of Neroccio de’ Landi (Italian, 1447-1500). The cassone, or marriage chest, is extensively decorated on all sides with gilded pastiglia (low relief plasterwork modeled in gesso and gilded) and rests on a series of arched bracket feet.
On the front a border of undulating vines, with painted highlights, surrounds an oblong low relief panel depicting a wedding procession. At the ends of the panel, standing winged figures are wearing armor and hold shields painted with coats of arms. The field on which the figures stand as well as the emblazoned shields and armorials are painted with blue highlights. The back is unfinished and the gilded surface and punchwork are the work of a 19th century restorer.
Related cassoni with similar workshop-related panel fronts with scenes and figures are in the collection of The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, the Museo Bagatti Valsechi, Milan, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London among others.
On the front a border of undulating vines, with painted highlights, surrounds an oblong low relief panel depicting a wedding procession. At the ends of the panel, standing winged figures are wearing armor and hold shields painted with coats of arms. The field on which the figures stand as well as the emblazoned shields and armorials are painted with blue highlights. The back is unfinished and the gilded surface and punchwork are the work of a 19th century restorer.
Related cassoni with similar workshop-related panel fronts with scenes and figures are in the collection of The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, the Museo Bagatti Valsechi, Milan, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London among others.
Cultural Origin
Italian
Medium
poplar
gesso pastiglia
Extent
29 1/2" x 71 1/2" x 23 1/4"
Collection
Source
Purchased by the Preservation Society of Newport County, 2014.
Identifier
PSNC.12603
Related Materials
Emile Molinier, "Collection Emile Gavet," Paris, 1889, illus. Mattie Edwards Hewitt, "The Gothic Room, 1926," Collection of The Rhode Island Historical Society (Rhi X3 6774) photograph. Virginia Brilliant, Paul F. Miller, et al, "Gothic Art in the Gilded Age," The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, 2009, p. 8, illus. fig. 14. Fausto Calderai et al, "Furnishing a Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner's Collection of Italian Furniture," Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, 2011, p. 35-38, illus fig K.
For more information about this item, please contact its owning institution.