Chest front

French

Not on view

The panel features a pair of fabulous female figures with extremities in the shape of scrolling tendrils, the longest of which end in cornucopias. The tilted heads draw attention to a wreath enclosing a shield that may have once contained a coat of arms. From the figures’ windswept curls to the ribbons on the wreath, swirling forms heighten the composition’s liveliness. Corresponding to a Renaissance reinterpretation of ancient imagery, the decoration may have been inspired by northern or Italian prints, which frequently served as models for the carvings adorning French chests.

Chest front, Carved walnut, French

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