Large Casket Inlaid With Bone And Various Woods, Embriachi Workshop, 15th Century.

A rare and valuable chest of considerable size, rectangular in shape and featuring a flat lid finely inlaid with various types of wood and bone, both natural and stained green. It is an exceptional example of 15th-century production from the Embriachi workshop, active between Ferrara and Venice, displaying a decorative repertoire among the most remarkable from this important Renaissance workshop.

The decoration is distinguished by an extraordinary continuous pattern of cubes in perspective that is repeated across all sides of the box, framed by a sumptuous interweaving of wood and metal alloy fillets containing two-tone polygonal stars, a motif also repeated on the edge of the shelf. Another notable interweaving is the one on the inclined surface that frames the base, featuring a ribbon with highly perspective meanders, a recurring motif in the work of Baldassarre degli Embriachi. The corners and inclined surfaces under the shelf are inlaid with various large dentil motifs in natural bone and ebony. furthermore the angular edges are composed of large segments of natural bone.

The top shelf is simple, with large segments of natural bone. It's likely that the box originally featured a cuspated area where the patterns on the sides were repeated, right at the center of the top. Otherwise, the box is in excellent condition, and the decorations are exceptionally well preserved. The only non-contemporary element is the ebony strips between the top and the box, which were probably inserted to provide stability and strength to the top, but can be removed. Furthermore, during some ancient handling of the object, the top was rotated, so much so that the small recesses on the front face containing the metal hinges that allowed it to open can be seen.

This box is characterized by a slightly unusual size compared to most of these productions, and is indeed quite large, measuring 33.5 cm x 21 cm x 18 cm high.

The item has a certificate of authenticity provided by our antiques gallery, but does not have a Cites certificate, as it has no ivory parts or elements, we can request it if necessary.