CHEST. WOOD, GILT IRON, RED VELVET. 16TH CENTURY.

"Rehearsed" chest. Wood, covered in velvet, golden iron fittings. Century XVI. Box with a rectangular base and smooth walls with a lid with sloping sides and a straight upper part (truncated pyramidal) made of carved wood. It stands out, above all, for still presenting (and in a remarkable state of conservation) the red velvet with which some of the main examples of this type of work used to be covered, and for maintaining some elaborate ironwork in its decoration and with gold in numerous areas. . The three fittings that join the lid with the base have vegetable-shaped endings that are reminiscent of fleur-de-lis examples; the handle at the top has a disc in the center and sharpened finials; the shield of the lock is reminiscent of a heraldic one, topped with another simple plant element, and the bolt that joins it to the leg has simple architectural shapes; on the right, in addition, there is a hook to prevent accidental opening of the chest when opening the lock. Inside, diaphanous and without compartmentalization, it presents a fine textile upholstery in a color similar to that of the outer velvet. This type of chests or chests lined with fabric (the examples that have velvet are the highest quality, as this is a textile made with silk or linen) was already very common in Spain during the 15th century, extending into the 16th century. , in the case of characteristic elements of the time of the Catholic Monarchs. As for the presence of a lining inside, it is due to the clear intention of preserving the contents of such a rich chest in the best possible condition, saving them from the possible damage that the ironwork nails could cause to the valuable objects that were placed in it. They were kept in this type of container, which is why two hooks were also placed flanking the lock to prevent its accidental opening once the key was turned. Regarding color, note that the most expensive dyes were red and blue, so these were the most expensive and valuable specimens. As indicated, it is unusual for such old velvet to still retain its characteristic hair, reducing the number of works with which we can compare this casket. It is much smaller than the pine wood trunk lined in silk velvet, with iron fittings, kept by the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid, made in Castile between the last quarter of the 15th century and the first quarter of the 16th century.

· Size: 27x14x16 cms.