Lot 108
108
AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF ITALIAN WALNUT AND PARCEL-GILTWOOD CASSONI

PROBABLY ROMAN

Details
AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF ITALIAN WALNUT AND PARCEL-GILTWOOD CASSONI
PROBABLY ROMAN
Each with panelled coffered rectangular lids carved with stylized foliage and overlapping scales, the friezes with shells edged with beading above auricular cartouches with grotesques masks carved and painted with rampent lions framed by scenes from the Life of David carved in high relief, including David beheading Goliath and the Triumph of David, the other with the Annointing of David and David before Saul, the ends of the first carved with female figures emblematic of Summer and Spring, the latter with Bacchus representing Autumn, and Winter as an old man, the gadrooned convex bases carved with bellflowers interrupted by seraphim masks edged with pendant lunettes carved with shells and paper-scrolls on cloven hoof feet, with later ebonized bases
33½in. (85cm.) high, 74in. (188cm.) wide, 23in. (58.5cm.) deep (2)
Provenance
The Countess of Sutherland, sold Christie's London 19 March 1981, lot 111
Exhibited
Victoria and Albert Museum 1969-1980 (on loan)

Lot Essay

A pair of cassoni from the Soulages Collection belonging to the Victoria and Albert Museum (7212-3 1860) have the same four scenes from the life of David, whilst David beheading Goliath and the Triumph of David appear on a cassone in the Rikjsmuseum, Amsterdam (catalogue no. 387). Another pair of similar quality, but depicting scenes from the Apocryphal Life of Tobit were formerly in the collection of Barons Adolphe and Maurice de Rothschild. Similar examples sold at Christie's London including a cassone from the Barnet Lewis Collection, 26 February 1930, lot 89, another from the collection of the Earl of Abingdon, 5 July 1949, lot 402; and two from the Holford Collection, 13 July 1927, lots 82 and 89.