Casket

The marquetry scene decorating the top of this casket shows the goddess Venus attended by four putti. One brushes her hair, another holds up a mirror, a third ties her sandal, and a fourth offers her a jewel or an earring from a small chest. Around the sides, sleeping putti recline on rocks surrounded by birds and flowering trees. The decoration reflects the casket's original function, to hold articles for use in a woman's toilette. It would have sat on a dressing table with other boxes of various shapes and sizes, possibly holding such objects as combs, brushes, and ribbons.