Cassoni

The cassone is a decorated chest, generally made in Italy. These were traditionally a gift to a bride from her parents.

For more, see Scenes from a Marriage, and Cassoni and the Decameron.

Additional random notes:
Some of the examples below consist of pre-17th century panels assembled into a cassone in the 19th century.
The short side-panels are called the testate.
The cassone-painter is called the cofanaio.

• V&A 317-1894 in poplar, covered with canvas, painted red and blue, decorated with tin leaf and gesso figures and reinforced with iron bands; Florence or Siena, 1345-1354
• Met 27.72, a cassone front in gilt stucco on wood, late 14th century Italian
• Wedding-chest (cassone) made in upper Italy in the first half of the 15th century
• V&A 5791-1860, a panel with scenes from a marriage ceremony, gilt gesso and tempera, Florence, c. 1410
• Thyssen-Bornemisza CTB.DEC0032, a cassone in poplar, pastiglia, water-based gild and tempera, attrbuted to Benedetto di Bindo, Siena, c. 1411-1412
• Scottish National Gallery NG 1738, featuring scenes from the Decameron, workshop of Giovanni Toscani, c. 1420-1425
• Phila. 1944-15-5, a cassone with scenes from the story of Jason and Medea, in poplar, pine, and plaster reliefs with painted and gilded decoration, possibly Siena, c. 1425-1450
• Met 1971.115.4, cassone panel with the Labors of Hercules, second quarter of the 15th century
• V&A 7815-1862 in pine with gilt gesso decoration inscribed with the Nicene Creed, Siena, c. 1430
• V&A 8974-1863, made in Tuscany c. 1430-1460; poplar and walnut, joined and nailed, decorated with modelling in gesso and gilding
• Detail from the Adimari Cassone, painted by Lo Scheggia c. 1443-1450
• Christie’s Sale 7197/Lot 23, cassone panels (The Triumph of David, Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra, and Hercules saving Deianeira from Nessus) attributed to Lo Scheggia
• Christie’s Sale 7610/Lot 106, cassone panel with the Continence of Scipio, 15th century
• Phila. 1944-15-4, a Siennese chest c. 1450. Relief work in molded gesso. More photos: front, side, and top.
• V&A 7897-1863, painted panel from a cassone with Horatius Cocles defending the Sublician Bridge, follower of Francesco Pesellino, Florence, c. 1450
• British Museum M&ME 1878,11-1,195, cassone panel with the battle of Issus, workshop of Apollonio di Giovanni, Florence, c. 1450
• Christie’s Sale 7610/Lot 249, cassone panel with Trajan and the widow, tempera on panel, Master of the Epiphany of Santa Felicita, Florence, mid-15th century
• Christie’s Sale 7743/Lot 16, cassone panel with the siege of Carthage, tempera on panel, Florence, mid-15th century
• Met 15.119.4, a gilded and painted walnut cassone, Florence, mid-15th century
• Front panel of a cassone with Darius before the battle of Issus by Apollino di Giovanni, 1450-1455
• NG4906, cassone with a tournament scene, c. 1455-1465
• V&A 7852-1862, gilt and painted cassone in tempera on walnut, workshop of Apollonio di Giovanni, Florence, c. 1450-1475
• Met 14.44, cassone panel with King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, byt the Mastero f Lecceto, Siena, third quarter of the 15th century
• Met 14.39, cassone with the Conquest of Trebizond, Marco del Buono Giamberti or Apollonio di Giovanni di Tomaso, after 1461
• Cassone panel with a battle between the Athenians and the Persians by Apollonio di Giovanni, 1463
• Wedding-chest (cassone) made in upper Italy in the second half of the 15th century (side view)
• V&A W.68-1925, cassone with the story of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, painted by the workshop of Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Neroccio de' Landi, carved and gilded gesso on wood, painted in tempera, Siena, 1469-1475
• Christie’s Sale 7610/Lot 108, cassone panel with the story of Virginia, Appius Claudius Crassus, and Epaminodas, Scipio Africanus, and Lucius Brutus; Umbro-Sienese, c. 1470
• Thyssen-Bornemisza CTB.DEC0034, in poplar with stucco, gold, tempera, glue, and iron, attributed to the workshop of Neroccio de' Landi, Siena, c. 1470-75
• The Gonzaga cassone and panels, 1472
• Met 08.133, the front of a cassone with scenes from the life of King Nebuchadnezzar by Nicola di Maestro Antonio d'Ancona
• Ecouen ECL7501, cassone panel with the departure of Ulysses by Guidoccio di Giovanni Cozarelli
• V&A 5792-1860, cassone panel with the return of Ulysses in tempera on poplar, Siena, c. 1475
• NG3826, cassone with the story of Camillus, egg tempera on carved and gilded wood, attributed to the Master of Marradi, late 15th century
• Cassone with the stories of Camillus defeating the Gauls and Horatius Cocles defending the bridge against the Etruscans (and the Nerli Cassone), painted by Jacopo del Sellaio and Biagio d’Antonio and constructed by Zanobi di Domenico, for the wedding of Donna Vaggia di Tanai di Francesco di Nerli and Lorenzo di Matteo di Morello, 1472
• Thyssen-Bornemisza 344 (1934.41), a panel with the Argonauts leaving Colchis, in tempera and oil, by Ercole de' Roberti, c. 1480
• Phila. Cat. 111, a panel with Camilla in Battle, painted by Matteo di Giovanni or Guidoccio di Giovanni Cozzarelli, 1480s
• Scottish National Gallery NGL 023.79, cassone panel with the death of St. Ephraim and other scenes from the lives of the hermits, Florence, c. 1480-1500
• Met 45.128.9 with heraldic shields (?) and wreaths on the door panels, late 15th century (with 19th century alterations)
• V&A 7223-1860, in walnut and rosewood inlaid with ivory, possibly made in Venice or Spain, c. 1500
• Rijksmuseum BK-16629, a cassone probably made in Venice c. 1500, inlaid with geometrical figures in ivory, walnut and ebony
• V&A 7224-1860, a cassone in walnut and rosewood, inlaid with ivory and coloured woods, c. 1500
• Christie’s Sale 5971/Lot 7, a cassone in walnut, made in Bologna, 16th century
• Bridal chest (cassone) made in Florence in 1513 (note front panel’s similarity to this panel)
• Met 68.664.1, design for a cassone, early 16th century
• V&A 4414-1857, a cassone in parcel-gilt walnut, decorated with winged amorini pulled in chariots by mythical animals, possibly made in Rome, c. 1550
• Phila. Cat. 221, a section of a cassone with Aeneas leaving Troy, follower of Girolamo di Libri, mid-16th century
• The Met has several 16th century Italian walnut cassoni, including 05.23.8, 08.175.5, 13.150, 13.154.3, 26.260.19, 30.95.88, 32.100.330, 32.100.331, 41.100.328, 41.100.329, 41.190.255, 45.67.1, 45.67.2, 54.161, 55.197, 1975.1.1939, 1975.1.1941, 1975.1.1942, 1975.1.1943, 1975.1.1944,
• Thyssen-Bornemisza CTB.DEC0044, a cassone in carved and partly gilded walnut, Rome, c. 1550-1595
• Rijksmuseum BK-16643, a cassone made in the second half of the 16th century, walnut carved with heraldry and the story of David and Goliath
• Thyssen-Bornemisza CTB.DEC0329, a cassone in carved and partially gilded walnut, Venice, c. 1550-1600
• Phila. 1943-40-22, a walnut chest, made in Italy c. 1550-1600
• V&A 7709-1861, one of a pair probably made to celebrate Cosimo I de’ Medici’s new title as Duke of Florence and Siena, partially-gilt walnut, c. 1561-1569
• V&A 4417-1857, a cassone with scenes from Greek mythology (Apollo and the python at Delphi, Clymene and Phaeton, Phaeton and Helios, and Eridanus), possibly made for the marriage of Paolo Lancelloti and Giulia Delfini, carved and gilt walnut, 1570
• Christie’s Sale 7272/Lot 1, a north Italian walnut and fruitwood (certosina) cassone, probably Friuli, late 16th/early 17th century
• Christie’s Sale 7162/Lot 1, an Italian ebonized and parcel-gilt walnut cassone, late 16th/early 17th century