Kast
1650–1700
Medium
Oak and walnut
Dimensions
170.8 × 168.3 cm (67 1/4 × 66 1/4 in.)
Classification
case furniture
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
65778
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of the Americas collection, this striking *Kast* (Dutch for cupboard) exemplifies 17th-century colonial craftsmanship. Dating from 1650–1700 and crafted from sturdy oak and walnut, it an impressive 170.8 × 168.3 cm, nearly life-sized in height and width. As case furniture, it served as a multifunctional storage piece, housing linens, valuables, and household goods in early American homes. Likely produced in the Dutch colonial sphere of New Netherland (modern-day New York), the *Kast* reflects the fusion of European joinery techniques with New Wor...