Boncompagni-Ludovisi-Ottoboni Marriage Casket
Unknown Artist
1731
Medium
silver, partially gilt, malachite, lapis lazuli, enamel
Dimensions
19.1 × 40.7 × 22.9 cm
Classification
Silver
Department
Decorative Art and Design
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1974.86
About this artwork
The giving of coins or other valuable items was a powerful symbol of engagement and marriage in Europe in the 1600s and 1700s. Often these valuables were presented and kept in elaborate caskets that remained the property of the wife throughout the marriage, to be drawn upon in time of need, or as a symbol of their wealth and prosperity. This silver and hardstone casket was the gift of Pier Gregorio Boncompagni Ludovisi upon his marriage to Francesca Ottoboni in 1731. Their marriage represented t...