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Marriage Chest (Cassone)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Large storage chests resembling ancient Roman burial vaults-a popular collectible among wealthy families during the Renaissance-were often associated with an important marriage and contained the wife’s dowry of clothes and precious objects. This particular example displays the arms of the Spada Family of Rome amidst a richly carved façade on a gilded ground. Sometimes cassoni were carried in the marital procession from the bride’s home to that of her future husband, emphasizing the power and wealth of both families.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineMarriage Chest (Cassone), early 1500s. Italy, early 16th century. Walnut with traces of gilding; overall: 62.2 x 172 x 55.9 cm (24 1/2 x 67 11/16 x 22 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of John L. Severance, 1942.609
