Portugal
1750-1775
Wood, carved leather; fabric (damask) and chiselled metals (iron, brass and bronze)
On the top of this chest, inserted in a cartouche, we can find the scene that determines the specific function of this chest, that of containing the bridal trousseau: a kneeling gentleman offers his heart to a lady.
A major tradition in the Iberian Peninsula, carved leather was a prestigious material among the elite, as would be the case with this bride belonging to the Vieira e Vasconcelos family, whose coat of arms is represented on the front.
Dense ornamentation fills the whole piece with Baroque naturalistic features, such as shellac, feather bands and other rarer elements. There are, for example, winged hybrid figures in foliage petticoats and fantastic dragon-headed animals.
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