Casket
about 1400
Object PlaceVenice, Italy
Medium/TechniqueIvory, bone, horn, and wood inlays with iron handle
Dimensions17.5 x 20.5 cm (6 7/8 x 8 1/16 in.)
Credit LineGift of Frank Gair Macomber
Accession number33.641
On View
On viewClassificationsBoxes
Collections
This casket is typical of the production of the bone-carving workshop founded by Baldassare Embriachi (active about 1390-1409), and is decorated with wood inlays and carved bone panels. These boxes were usually made to celebrate a marriage, possibly as part of a dowry, and were used to hold jewels, small pieces of lace, and other small luxury items belonging to the bride. Fittingly, they were often decorated with scenes from ancient or medieval chivalric poetry, like this one that displays scenes from the story of the ancient hero Jason. Winged creatures hold shields that would have been decorated with heraldic devices of the families of the bride and groom.
ProvenanceBy 1930, Frank Gair Macomber (b. 1849 - d. 1941), Boston; 1933, gift of Frank Gair Macomber to the MFA. (Accession Date: November 2, 1933)
third quarter of 16th century
First half of 18th century
early 19th century
mid to late 19th century
mid to late 18th century
late 18th century
early to mid-19th century
late 18th to early 19th century
about 1807
about 1780–1810
1812–17
1812–17