LEATHERED CHEST. WOOD, TEXTILE, WROUGHT IRON. SPAIN, CA 1500.
Antiques -
Reference: ZF0339
Rectangular chest with a semicircular lid made of carved wood and covered with worked leather that has been reinforced with a series of wrought iron fittings, a material that is also used to make the handle on the lid and a latch on the front with a lock shield decorated with simplified plant elements on the top. The interior has the fabric upholstery that was common in these pieces and that, as a general rule, has not been preserved in good condition, as in this piece. These types of chests were used both to store and transport precious objects, hence the lock, always seeking quality in materials and decoration that would demonstrate the economic power of its owner, as well as maintaining its usefulness. The shape is one of the most common for chests in Spanish Gothic, maintaining the way the fittings and a series of decorative elements are arranged in this style. The barred and rehearsed chests and small chests had very varied shapes and sizes, being so common in Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries that numerous examples are preserved today. Compare, for example, those in the Lope de Vega House Museum (Madrid), one dating from the beginning of the 16th century and with 19th century touches (CE00170) and another with a decoration (inventory CE00004), or the 15th century chest in the Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid, for example, as well as several examples from private collections.
· Size: 17x10x11 cms.
4.500 €
