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Large Folk Painted Pine Marriage Chest with Bird
Ref: 5257
A large pine marriage box, for a high status peasant country farmhouse, dated to front 1810 with the initials of the betrothed and a beautifully hand-forged metal escutcheon in the shape of a love-heart. At this time Greek Revival is all the rage in Europe and in the classical proportions and also in the colouring of this piece we see it, pastel pinks, blue and creams. Even the bird is a throw-back to classical heritage & the villas of Pompeii. On a secondary level the bird, a male bulfinch, with it’s blood red bib is in folklore a Christian emblem, a symbol of self-sacrifice & faithfulness. Similar examples to this box can be found in ethnographic collections in the Swabian lands, between the states of Bavaria and Baden-Wutrtemberg.
Central Europe c.1810
H: 69cm (27.2in)
W: 147cm (57.9in)
D: 63cm (24.8in)
SOLD
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