Three-lock chest. Wood, leather, wrought iron. Circa 1600. Rectangular chest with a flat lid made of carved wood and covered on the outside with leather and wrought iron fittings (three bolts, corners, two handles, decorations, hinges). Inside, it has a red fabric covering both on the body of the chest and on the lid (an area in which there is embroidery based on geometric elements arranged in a symmetrical composition, including missing details). The type of piece (rectangular box with a flat lid) is one of the most common in Spanish chests and coffers, with examples of this shape being found as early as the early Middle Ages. As for the use of textiles, it was common in Spain as early as the 15th century to make chests lined on the outside and inside, usually in red (the most expensive dyes were red and blue), both to enhance the piece and to protect the contents. Covering the wood with leather on the outside was also common, again to enhance and protect the chest. As for the fittings, the lobed spear-shaped forged iron pieces are reminiscent of examples from the late Gothic period, already influenced by the Renaissance, with some more advanced forms. The three locks have openwork shields decorated with waves and simplified plant elements, and the presence of all three in the same chest refers to a type known as “town hall” or “council” (as there were three keys, it was necessary for the three authorities who had one to come together and agree to access the contents, adding an element of security). It is not very common for this type of piece to be preserved in good condition, and similar examples can be found in some important private collections and in institutions such as the Museum of the Cathedral of Valencia, the City Hall of Los Palacios y Villafranca, the Military History Museum of Seville, etc.
· Size: 125x48x57 cms.
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