Chest Front thumbnail 1
Chest Front thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Chest Front

1450-1499 (made)
Place of origin

Panel, being the front of a chest cut with 14 dovetails at both ends. With a plain central rectangular panel, surrounded on all four sides by a wide border (within beaded edges) of shallow relief carving against a punched background, depicting scrolling foliage among which appear an ape with a shield (at left and right), and: dogs hunting hares (upper frieze), along the lower band (from left) a gentleman, griffin, leopard, lion, shield, lion, dragon, leopard, lady. Above the lower border are two small engraved details of a dog and a rabbit. Below the bottom edge are 8 stump turnings, arranged x6 singly and two pairs. At the ends (running vertically) are a series of narrow ruled lines with diagonally shaded portions. Note that there is no clear evidence of wax infill or paint.

Along the top edge of the chest front is rhomboid punching.

With it is an iron key (broken) with a perforated circular bow.

Construction
Formed from one wide and 3 narrow boards (with some added modern screws). The bottom edge formed by a thicker board cut with three mortises for the chest bottom supports running front to back. Just above this the narrow batten has the remains of wooden pegs to locate the front to the chest bottom. The back with three modern battens screwed along the sides and top.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Chest Front
  • Key
Materials and techniques
Cypress(?), carved and incised
Brief description
Coffer front, cypress wood with relief carvings, the iron key is broken and has a perforated circular bow, Italian, 1450-1499
Physical description
Panel, being the front of a chest cut with 14 dovetails at both ends. With a plain central rectangular panel, surrounded on all four sides by a wide border (within beaded edges) of shallow relief carving against a punched background, depicting scrolling foliage among which appear an ape with a shield (at left and right), and: dogs hunting hares (upper frieze), along the lower band (from left) a gentleman, griffin, leopard, lion, shield, lion, dragon, leopard, lady. Above the lower border are two small engraved details of a dog and a rabbit. Below the bottom edge are 8 stump turnings, arranged x6 singly and two pairs. At the ends (running vertically) are a series of narrow ruled lines with diagonally shaded portions. Note that there is no clear evidence of wax infill or paint.

Along the top edge of the chest front is rhomboid punching.

With it is an iron key (broken) with a perforated circular bow.

Construction
Formed from one wide and 3 narrow boards (with some added modern screws). The bottom edge formed by a thicker board cut with three mortises for the chest bottom supports running front to back. Just above this the narrow batten has the remains of wooden pegs to locate the front to the chest bottom. The back with three modern battens screwed along the sides and top.
Dimensions
  • Height: 63cm
  • Width: 204.5cm
  • Thickness: 3.7cm (Note: Thickness incl. a modern batten along the top: 4.5cm)
Measured NH July 2017 Dims. from catalogue H 2' 1" L 6' 8 1/2"
Object history
Bought for £5 . 5.. 0. from J.H. Pollen (Mr R.A. Thompson's memo on Stores agenda 2070/1889).
The key 130a-1889 was 'originally given to Circulation'
Collection
Accession number
130&A-1889

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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