carving, relief, wood
wood texture
naturalistic pattern
woman
carving
narrative-art
animal
relief
figuration
11_renaissance
organic pattern
12_15th-century
wood
italian-renaissance
organic texture
Dimensions: 40.0 x 182.5 x 5.0 cm
Copyright: Public Domain
This is the front of a marriage chest, or cassone, made anonymously. The figures of Justice and Charity frame the composition. The central panel depicts a bridal procession. Justice is depicted as a woman holding a sword and scales, and Charity is depicted as a woman surrounded by children; symbols of civic virtue and familial love that are linked to a family’s honor. Consider that, in classical antiquity, the virtues were personified as goddesses, each bearing distinct attributes. Here, they remind us that the family is a microcosm of the state, where personal morality reflects the health of the community. They are visual mnemonics; surfacing across time and reminding viewers of the values they represent. Notice that the emotional weight of these symbols affects our perception of the marriage scene. This complex interplay of civic and familial virtue is a tradition that evolves, yet persists, engaging us on a subconscious level.
Comments
What at first sight looks like an independent painting was originally the front of a ‘cassone’. Made to hold the trousseaus of wealthy young ladies of bourgeois or aristocratic origins, these chests were often decorated with depictions of virtues from antiquity or classical mythology. In this case, we find scenes from the tale of the chaste Lucretia, who took her own life after being raped by Sextus Tarquinius. The personifications of Prudence and (probably) Strength to either side allude to Lucretia – and indirectly to the cassone’s owner as well.
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