Late 15th - early 16th century

Casket with Scenes from Early Roman History

Artist/maker unknown

This small, intricately decorated Italian box bears reliefs of scenes from Ancient Roman history, made in a material known as pastiglia, a plasterlike material that can be shaped or molded into raised decoration and which may have been mixed with perfume to give off a scent when handled. Over one hundred and fifty boxes of this type are known, believed to be the product of workshops located in Northern Italy.

Although somewhat damaged, this box retains much of its original decoration. The detailed narrative reliefs tell the story of Marcus Atilius Regulus, a Roman consul and general, who in some stories was tortured and killed by the Carthaginians by being placed in a nail-studded barrel and rolled down a hill. The choice of scenes depicted here reflect the influence of surviving Ancient Roman monuments and the interest of Renaissance patrons in motifs and stories taken from antiquity.