Casket
Workshop of the Embriachi Family
c. 1390-c. 1410
Medium
Bone, cow horn, wood, iron, and silk velvet
Dimensions
33.1 × 27.9 cm (13 × 11 1/4 in.)
Classification
wood
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
107681
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Given to noble or merchant-class brides in honor of a betrothal or wedding, small caskets such as this were used as keepsake boxes to house jewelry and other important mementos. The sides were often carved with emblematic scenes to entertain the recipient bride. The narratives portrayed on this casket are haphazardly mixed including a stag hunt, an abducted maiden, and a scene with a figure crawling out of an eagle. Some of these are taken from popular contemporary romances Mattabruna and Il pec...