Marriage Chest from Siena, Dated 1749
Featuring the Black & White Coat of Arms of The Siena Bank and Symbolic Rhinos
This extraordinary 18th-century marriage chest hails from Siena, Tuscany, and offers a captivating window into the city’s rich artistic and civic heritage. Crafted in 1749 (marked as such) this chest is not only a rare survivor from the period, it is an exquisite embodiment of Sienese identity, decorated with deeply symbolic motifs that speak to love, legacy and local pride.
At the ends is the unmistakable coat of arms of Siena, a bold Gothic shield divided horizontally into two equal halves - white above, black below. This emblem, in use since at least the mid-13th century, evokes the legendary founding of the city by Senius and Aschius, who fled Rome on black and white horses. Over time, the stark contrast of these colours came to reflect Siena’s spiritual dualities, the light and shadow, strength and humility, the divine and the earthly.
The inclusion of this heraldic device on a marriage chest would have signified loyalty not only to one's partner but to the city itself. These chests were traditionally commissioned as part of a bride’s dowry, an object to carry fine linens, heirlooms and tokens of a new life. But this particular example goes further, incorporating another fascinating reference with painted rhinoceroses, rendered with charming naivety, yet unmistakably deliberate.
The rhinos were rare and exotic creatures in the 18th century which symbolise strength, protection, and good fortune, all desirable virtues in a marriage. They may also subtly echo the branding motifs of Siena’s renowned financial institution, the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world’s oldest surviving bank, founded in 1472. As a civic symbol, the bank’s identity was often entwined with the city’s and its iconography found its way into public art, architecture and in rare cases, even private commissions such as this.
With its weathered painted surface, sculptural Gothic shield and spirited animal decoration, this Sienese cassone is not just a beautiful object, it is a layered piece of cultural storytelling. Whether admired for its craftsmanship, its historical associations or its playful sense of character, it remains a singular treasure from the heart of Renaissance Italy.
Dimensions: 128 cm width x 53 cm depth x 63 cm height