Court Cupboard
c. 1660
Medium
Oak and iron
Dimensions
122 × 123.9 × 45.8 cm (48 × 48 3/4 × 18 in.)
Classification
furniture
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
198122
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
From the medieval period to the seventeenth century, prosperous households used short, tiered cupboards or sideboards of this kind for the display of silver, ceramics, brass, or pewter. The name comes from the French word for court—meaning small—and was likely used to distinguish this kind of object from larger cupboards used to store linens and other household goods. Most court cupboards used principles of classical architecture—particularly columns—to organize the tiers. This one is more unus...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...