Embroidered Box

Artist Unknown (England) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:22:04 -0500

Title	Embroidered Box
Artist	Artist Unknown (England)
Date	1662
Institution	Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Location	On view at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, G332

Raised work (stumpwork) casket depicting the story of Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus; Initialed 'BP' and dated 1662, worked in polychrome silk and metallic threads on white satin and decorated with seed pearls, English; Front King Ahasuerus presenting the royal scepter to Queen Esther; Back The hanging of Haman; Right side the search for a wife for King Ahasuerus; Left side Mordecai honored by Ahasuerus and paraded in royal regalia; Top King Ahasuerus, Queen Esther and Haman at dinner; The casket with two doors opening to reveal curious set of drawers with secret compartments; the top lifting to reveal a pink velvet interior fitted with two bottles, an inkpot and a pen tray, the back of this lid with brackets for a mirror that now is missing; a second lid at the top opening to reveal a shallow silk-lined tray. A 17th century oak box lined in marbled paper with replaced lock accompanies the casket (95.14cc Traveling Case for Stumpwork Casket); an itemized list of pieces and their dimensions is in the object file in the registration office