Box Covered With Painted Vellum

A rare box covered in painted vellum featuring a rich religious decor. The box is adorned with biblical quotations inscribed in cartouches on a polychrome floral background. At the center of the lid is an octagonal cartouche depicting the biblical scene of Moses being saved from the waters, a scene from the Old Testament. The characters are depicted with medieval attributes. A young woman, kneeling in the foreground, is picking up the basket containing Moses. Behind her are two members of the entourage, and across from her, pharao’s daughter flanked by two small pages. The side medallions likely represent the episode of the Forty Days in the Desert (when Christ withdrew for forty days to fast and pray). The verses are taken from the books of Ecclesiasticus and the Vulgate.  
The box, which locks with a key, is also adorned with a golden braid.  
Late 17th century  
Customary restorations
H. 11 x L. 28 x D. 20.5 cm.