Chest
Unknown Artist
1650–1700
Medium
Red pine, elm, willow
Dimensions
27 3/4 x 47 x 20 1/2 in. (70.5 x 119.4 x 52.1 cm)
Classification
Chest
Culture
British
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. J. Insley Blair, 1945
Accession Number
45.78.1
Art Historical Context
This handsome chest, crafted 1650 and 0 from red pine, elm, and willow, exemplifies the sturdy vernacular furniture of Britain's American colonies. Measuring a substantial 27¾ x 47 x 20½ inches, it served as essential household storage—likely for linens, clothing, or bride's dowry—ing the practical needs of colonial life. Displayed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art thanks to a 1945 gift from Mrs. J. Insley Blair it bridges British craftsmanship with New World adaptation. Though by an unknown maker, the chest highlights 17th-century joinery techniques, with panels of softe...