Cleveland Museum of Art

Marriage Chest (Cassone)

Date

early 1500s

Medium

walnut with traces of gilding

Culture

Italy, early 16th century

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Large storage chests resembling ancient Roman burial vaults-a popular collectible among wealthy families during the Renaissance-were often associated with an important marriage and contained the wife’s dowry of clothes and precious objects. This particular example displays the arms of the Spada Family of Rome amidst a richly carved façade on a gilded ground. Sometimes cassoni were carried in the marital procession from the bride’s home to that of her future husband, emphasizing the power and wealth of both families.

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