MARCH 20TH, 2019
Cabinet decorated in pietre dure, Italian hard stones
Detroit Institute of Art
The Medici grand dukes supported many artistic workshops, providing space, materials and wages for the artists. Court workshops created luxury products in pietre dure, tapestries and rare porcelain.
This cabinet with decorations of precious and semi precious stones form each animal; the central door has a depiction of Orpheus, from Roman mythology, who tames the beasts with music; the natural veining and the color variation of the stones represents distinctive physical qualities of the animals.
The cabinet material is pear wood, ebony, hard stone inlay and alabaster. Credited to the Medici Grand Ducal Workshops, it dates to 1620.
All in all, a unique item.
Until it is viewed in comparison to a pair of cabinets commissioned by the Prince de Linge during his tenure as Viceroy of Sicily, on appointment by King Philip IV of Spain. These exquisite Baroque masterpieces, their origins without a doubt influenced by the cabinet in Detroit, expound the simple design into a wonder of natural creativity.
Cabinet of Curiosities, Boston MFA
This Cabinet of Curiosities is from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I had the distinct pleasure of viewing these exquisite red coral specimens first hand, a previous story from The Burlington had keyed me to their history and craftsmanship. The footnotes to the article hold all the delish details.
The cabinets, on “Anonymous Loan”, grace a special display room called The Cabinet of Curiosities. Constructed from a wide variety of exotic and precious materials such as Florentine hard stone panels, tortoise shell and silver. The red coral; a specialty of the craftsmen in Trapani, a Sicilian fishing port; believed to ward off evil, accent a majority of the surface with intricate carvings fastened with wire. The front panels depict animals gathering around the mythical Orpheus, charming them with soothing music. The fronts of each individual drawers depict domestic, wild, and mythical creatures. The coral additionally has a part in mythology through Ovid: Metamorphoses IV, 741, describing Perseus beheading the Gorgon Medusa. Where her head fell on seaweed, thus rendering the branches to coral, while sea nymphs scattered drops of her blood into the sea.
Standard stuff for the upper class, but what of these talented craftsman? Would you be surprised to learn there was a Red Coral cartel? According to the Burlington, and referenced in the collected bills of sale for the cabinets is one Michele Sansone, cited among the nine masestri corallari who were hanged and beheaded during a famine-driven revolt in 1673. (Daneu and Vadala) Coral, being the predominate decoration on the cabinets, is an unusual decoration for furniture considering the quantity of pieces, the rich color and unusual texture. In 1418 a large coral bay was discovered on the coast of Tapani, therein followed the harvesting of coral and production of objects bringing economy. The community of corallari craftsmen and fishermen numbered 500, the majority of Jewish origin.
The cabinets were created by special order for Claude Lamoral I (1618-1679), among several titles, he served as Viceroy of Sicily in the service of the Spanish Crown, 1670-1673. The cabinets remained at the ancestral seat of the Ligne family, the chateau de Beloeil, Belgium, since Lamoral’s return from Italy. Very few cabinets of this period survive in collections today. The DIA has their own masterpiece, (link here) which I have been fortunate enough to view. The red coral cabinets at the MFA are an amazing testament to the craftsmen of Trapani and their ability to create art from natural resources.
DIA Medici Cabinet
Enjoying these unique Pietre dure Cabinets is a secret passion, with many more offerings to come. I have an electronic collection, space and price prohibits otherwise. Since you are here, sign up for my updates and other tidbits.
Cheers!
Mary Jo 🎨 🖋
All photos are author’s own.