A Rare Carved and Metal Mounted Casket with Remnants of ‘Pastiglia’

A Rare Carved and Metal Mounted Casket with Remnants of ‘Pastiglia’ Decoration retaining the original lock plate 
Wood, iron, polychrome 
Catalonia, Spain 
14th Century 

Size: 17cm high, 44cm wide, 14cm deep - 6⅔ ins high, 17⅓ ins wide, 5½ ins deep 

Provenance:
G. Zeberg, Tefaf, Maastricht 
Ex Private Belgium collection
A Rare Carved and Metal Mounted Casket with Remnants of ‘Pastiglia’ Decoration retaining the original lock plate 
Wood, iron, polychrome 
Catalonia, Spain 
14th Century 

Size: 17cm high, 44cm wide, 14cm deep - 6⅔ ins high, 17⅓ ins wide, 5½ ins deep 
During the Renaissance in Italy, the minor arts encompassed the intricate ornamentation of small wooden boxes with reliefs cast in a ‘plastic’ material. This material was applied while yielding and hardened to the firmness of a soft stone. These boxes were commonly referred to as ‘jewel-caskets’, although they were also utilised for various purposes, including the storage of documents and valuables that necessitated secure protection.
     In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the ‘pastiglia’ covered the entirety or nearly the entire outer surface of the wooden foundation. It was typically modelled smoothly in gentle gradations of relief and painted with colours that enhanced the forms of the prominent figures and provided intricate details of the decoration.
G. Zeberg, Tefaf, Maastricht 
Ex Private Belgium collection

A Rare Carved and Metal Mounted Casket with Remnants of ‘Pastiglia’

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