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Superb Carved & Painted Peasant Coffer
Ref: 2994
One of three superb examples of the classic peasant coffer from Eastern Europe which we recently released and the only one remaining.
All three had striking scroll carved designs and were painted in predominantly red with either blue or grey.
These coffers or boxes were sometimes called "Wallachian" as they were named after the Vlach shepherd's who made them and used them as dowry or marriage chests. They were sometimes also called "thrones" and the reasoning behind this as revealed in Parajanov's ethnographic film on the Huculs is that groom and bride are seen to sit together on the coffer during their wedding ceremony. The various geometrical decorations are accordingly apotropaic symbols, good luck charms or evil eye devices. Recent research on similar marks made on house beams in Warwickshire has revealed that the idea of these symbols was to trap bad spirits - the designs being a form of endless loop or cage.
Eastern Europe 19th cent.
H: 104cm (40.9in)
W: 130cm (51.2in)
D: 78cm (30.7in)
SOLD
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