The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Cassone (one of a pair)

Art Object

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Animation

The inventive talents of David Roentgen are evident in this exceptionally refined desk. The monogram "DR" inlaid beneath the keyhole on the lower drawer indicates the cabinetmaker's satisfaction with one of his most mechanically ingenuous creations: a single key inserted at different depths unlocks the center drawer, releases the rolltop, or releases the hidden side drawers; if a button is pressed on the underside of these drawers, each swings aside to reveal three other drawers. Above the rolltop, the rectangular structure consists of a single wide drawer. The artist's creativity is evident in the chinoiserie marquetry scenes, created by using minute pieces of naturally colored exotic woods that have a painterly effect.

See Collections to learn more about this desk.

This desk is featured in the exhibition Extravagant Inventions: The Princely Furniture of the Roentgens (on view October 30, 2012–January 27, 2013).

David Roentgen: Long-Case Clock
(00:00:52)

The Roentgens' Berlin Secretary Cabinet
(00:02:20) 10679 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Demonstration
(00:02:17) 16910 views

Rolltop Desk by David Roentgen: Animation
(00:01:00) 3027 views

Cassone (one of a pair)

Date:: second quarter 15th century
Culture:: Italian (Florence?)
Medium:: Tempera on lindenwood, molded and gilt ornament
Dimensions:: Each 29-1/2 x 62-1/4 x 23-3/4 in. (74.9 x 158.1 x 60.3 cm)
Classification:: Woodwork
Credit Line:: Bequest of George Blumenthal, 1941
Accession Number:: 41.190.129

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 604

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Inscription: Inscribed (left to right, on cartouches): Como Anteon andava alla caccia / Con soa conpagnia; Como Diana f[e]ce deventare / Cervio Antheon; Como li co[n]pagni de Antheon lu / Andavano cerca[n]do et no[n] / Lu poteano retrovare (How Actaeon went hunting with his companions; how Diana turned Actaeon into a stag; how Actaeon's companions were looking for him and could not find him)
Provenance

Ospedale di Santa Maria Nuova (until 1880) ; [ Paul Drey ] ; George and Florence Blumenthal (by 1913–d. 1941)
See also
What
Wood (9,287)

Gilt (9,067)

Furniture (5,728)

Woodwork (2,583)

Tempera (1,404)

Case furniture (874)

Chests (332)

Cassoni (49)
Where
Europe (150,013)

Italy (24,981)

Tuscany (1,231)

Florence (564)
When
A.D. 1400-1600 (20,619)
In the Museum
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (43,264)
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Florence and Central Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
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