Chapter 1 - The Fearful Side of Cassoni Imagery: The Marsyas and Niobe Myths as Negative Exempla

Figure 1.1

Unknown, Carved Cassone Decorated with the Myth of Apollo and Marsyas, second half of the sixteenth century, possibly originated in Venice, walnut, 71.8x166.4x57.1 cm, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accession number 45.67.2

On the left: The Musical contest of Apollo and Marsyas. Apollo is depicted playing the lira da braccio, while Marsyas, already restrained, awaits the outcome. Two female figures, likely muses, accompany the competition, possibly representing the judges.

On the right: Apollo flaying Marsyas. Marsyas is restrained, his torso is already flayed and put aside, while a river god, probably representing the river Marsyas, is depicted reclining in the right corner.

The chest is adorned with elaborate floral designs, grotesques, lion heads, and putti. The family cartouche is flanked by two satyrs holding water buckets.

Additional Information:

Location: New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bequest of George Blumenthal, 1941.
Catalogue Entry: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 28, no. 5, January 1970.
Provenance: George and Florence Blumenthal; Given as life interest gift to Ann Payne Blumenthal, renounced life interest gift; to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Figure 1.2

Unknown, Carved Cassone Decorated with The Myth of Apollo and Marsyas, third quarter of the sixteenth century with nineteenth-century alterations, additions and restorations, originated in Rome, walnut, 71.1x166.4x59.1 cm, New York: The Frick Collection. Accession number: 1916.5.81

The iconography of this chest is similar to fig. 1.1, with one significant change. Here, Marsyas is yet to be cuffed and instead plays a bagpipe.

In term of decoration, the two satyrs that flank the cartouche in fig. 1.1 are replaced by garlands of fruits and flowers.

Additional Information:

Location: The Frick Collection. Henry Clay Frick Bequest.
Catalogue Entries:
- Dubon, David.“Italian & French Renaissance.” In Furniture in the Frick Collection: An Illustrated Catalogue, edited by Joseph Focarino. New York and Princeton: Frick Museum and Princeton University Press, 1992.
- Vignon, Charlotte. The Frick Collection Decorative Arts Handbook. New York: The Frick Collection and Scala, 2015.

Figure 1.3

Unknown, Carved Cassone Decorated with The Myth of Apollo and Marsyas, 1550-1600, possibly originated in Rome, walnut, 71.8x169.2x63.5 cm. Louisville, Kentucky: The Speed Art Museum. Accession number: 1949.30.278

The iconography of the chest is similar to figs. 1.1 and 1.2. On the left, Marsyas is depicted with his hands already cuffed above him - thus making the iconography similar to that of fig. 1.1.

In term of decoration, the chest follow the general decorative scheme of figs. 1.1 and 1.2, but with putti that flank the cartouche instead of satyrs (fig. 1.1) or garlands (fig. 1.2).

*Low Resolution Image*

Additional Information:

Location: Louisville, Kentucky: The Speed Art Collection
Bibliography:
- Dubon, David.“Italian & French Renaissance.” In Furniture in the Frick Collection: An Illustrated Catalogue, edited by Joseph Focarino. New York and Princeton: Frick Museum and Princeton University Press, 1992.
- Comstock, Helen."The Satterwhite Collection of Gothic and Renaissance Art." The connoisseur 128, no. 523 (November 1951): 132-136; illustrated page 135.
Provenance: Probably French & Company, New York (possible inventory number 25983/2); Dr. Preston Pop Satterwhite, Great Neck (Long Island), New York, and Palm Beach; Bequested to the Speed Art Museum, 1949.

Figure 1.9

(Attributed to) Baccio Bandinelli, Carved Cassone Decorated with The Slaughter of the Niobids, 1536, possibly originated in Florence, gilded walnut, 77x165.7x54.5 cm, Private Collection.

The front panel feature an uninterrupted frieze that depicts that scene of the slaughter of Niobe's sons and daughters by Apollo and Diana (Artemis). Apollo is portrayed on the left, shooting arrows toward the male Niobids. Diana is at the center of the composition, shooting arrows toward the female Niobids.

The chest is signed by Baccio Bandinelli, with the signature also indicating the year 1536.

Additional Information:

Location: Private Collection. Previously Pandolfini, Casa d'Aste.
Bibliography:
- Mather, Frank Jewett Jr., “Some Carved Chests of the High Renaissance.” The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs 24, no. 128 (November 1913): 69-71+73-74.
- Chiesa, G. Il Cinquecento: Mobili – Arti decorative – Costume (Milan: Görlich Editore, 1980), 15, image no. 6.
Provenance:
- Archer Milton Huntington, New York
- Sotheby's, New York, 13.6.1992, lotto 438
- Private Collection
- Exhibition: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1965-1971

Figure 1.10

Unknown, Carved Cassone Decorated with The Slaughter of the Niobids, mid-16th century, possibly originated in Rome or Siena, walnut, carved and partially gilded; coniferous wood, 87.6x61x170 cm. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Robert Lehman Collection. Accession number: 1975.1.1947

The chest portrays the slaughter of the Niobids.

On the left: Apollo is shooting arrows on the male Niobids, some of them on horses.

On the right: Diana is shooting the female Niobids.

The two scenes are separated by a family cartouche.

The cassone also features scenes on its short sides: The left one depicts Apollo with a bow and arrow, accompanied by Eros, while the right side shows Jason slaying the dragon.

Additional Information:

Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection.
Catalogue Entry: Koeppe, Wolfram, Clare Le Corbeiller, William Rieder, Charles Truman, Suzanne G. Valenstein, and Claire Vincent. Decorative Arts in the Robert Lehman Collection. New York, Princeton: Metropolitan Museum of Art and Princeton University Press, 2012.
Provenance: [French & Company, New York]; acquired by William Randolph Hearst through French & Company in March 1926; [Gimbel Brothers, New York].

Figure 1.11

Unknown, Carved Cassone Decorated with a Scene from the Life of Caesar; The Slaying of Niobe’s Sons, third quarter of the sixteenth, Italy, cassone, walnut on pine, 74.3x189.2 cm, New York: The Frick Collection. Accession number: 1916.5.118

The front panel is separated into two panels that feature different themes: on the left, Apollo is shooting Niobe's sons with arrows, in an almost identical manner as the left panel in fig. 1.10. The right panel presents a scene from the life of Caesar.

Additional Information:

Location: The Frick Collection, Henry Clay Frick Bequest.