Which of the following is a characteristic of a cassone?

Which of the following is a characteristic of a cassone?

• A. Lion paw feet, intarsia, gadrooning, cartouche
• B. Fan shaped back, octagonal seat
• C. Domed canopy bed
• D. Tall back and three splayed legs

Answer: (A)

A cassone is a grand Renaissance Italian marriage chest, usually richly decorated on the exterior with carving, inlay, and ornate moldings. The combination of lion paw feet, intarsia (inlay of different woods), gadrooning (the decorative curved molding), and cartouche motifs are all hallmark features of these chests, signaling luxury and status and tying the form to its function as a storage piece for dowries and linens. The other descriptions point to different kinds of furniture. A fan-shaped back with an octagonal seat refers to a chair design, not a chest. A domed canopy bed is a bed, not a chest. A tall back with three splayed legs describes a legged seat or chair with a distinct silhouette, again not a chest.

A cassone is a grand Renaissance Italian marriage chest, usually richly decorated on the exterior with carving, inlay, and ornate moldings. The combination of lion paw feet, intarsia (inlay of different woods), gadrooning (the decorative curved molding), and cartouche motifs are all hallmark features of these chests, signaling luxury and status and tying the form to its function as a storage piece for dowries and linens.

The other descriptions point to different kinds of furniture. A fan-shaped back with an octagonal seat refers to a chair design, not a chest. A domed canopy bed is a bed, not a chest. A tall back with three splayed legs describes a legged seat or chair with a distinct silhouette, again not a chest.