Chest 1670 - 1690

This chest, made by the Searle-Dennis shop tradition, stands as a silent witness to its era. While its exact date is unknown, its very existence speaks to the social fabric of its time. Crafted by artisans whose identities are now collective rather than individual, it evokes questions about labor and authorship. What were the conditions of the Searle-Dennis shop? The act of carving these intricate patterns, perhaps dictated by patronage, intertwines with the story of class and craftsmanship. The chest embodies both the transmission of tradition and the personal expression of anonymous hands. Imagine the weight of the wood, the scent of the carving, the stories it could tell if it could speak of the hands that made it and the homes it has furnished. Its physical presence connects us to the past.