Art Institute of Chicago

Chest

Attributed to the Valdés family (active 18th–19th centuries)

Date

1780–1830

Medium

Ponderosa pine, metal, and paint

Culture

New Mexico

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This hand-carved chest belongs to a visually distinct group of works attributed to the Valdés family of carvers from what is now New Mexico. Chests such as this were the most common piece of furniture found in the region—multipurpose objects that also stood as decorative elements in homes and churches. In addition to the sculptural qualities of the geometric patterning and applied carved balls on this example, traces of red and black pigment reveal that it was once vibrantly painted.

The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.