Description
This exceptional casket from the Embriachi workshop, active between 1390 and 1410, embodies Renaissance craftsmanship and a fusion of cross-cultural influences.
The domed lid and entire exterior are adorned with intricate micromosaic marquetry, consisting with both bone and polychrome olive coloured and red stained bone, horn and with small thin-cut Pieces of Bone with wood beadings and with lead or pewter wires reflecting geometric designs primarily derived from both Roman mosaics and early Islamic civilisations.
Various earliest mankind civilisations have had always tried to decorate the plane external and the internal architectural building facades, wall panels, ceilings, and furniture to emulate various naturalistic scenes, human figures, animals, historical events, architectural buildings, calligraphy and various geometric patterns.
This desire for artistic expression has persisted through the ages, shaping the way we appreciate beauty in everyday objects. Therefore, humans have sought durable ways to adorn architectural exteriors and interiors.
However, exteriors required resilient materials to withstand weather conditions.
The Assyrians in Nineveh (modern-day Iraq) used carved stones, while the Babylonians pioneered underglaze painted pottery tiles such as the monumental Ishtar Gate and the processional way currently is housed at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin-Germany.
The Sassanids refined this technique such as the winged lions and warriors currently at the Louver Museum in Paris-France, Paint was commonly used, as seen in ancient Egyptian murals, while the Romans perfected the micromosaics for floors using colourful stones.
Also, other later Islamic civilisations such as the Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, Ayyubid who had used additional different materials such as the polychrome painted moulded painted gesso, cut and re-shaped underglaze painted pottery and mother of pearl etc.
Whereas decorating furniture was less complicated for it being less exposed, allowed for diverse techniques and furniture can be looked after, therefore, various decorative methods and techniques and other elements and materials were used such semi-precious stones, various types of wood, bone, ivory, horn, metal, stained bone and ivory.
The Embriachi workshop utilized different types of wood, bone, stained bone, and lead to replicate these decorative elements, ensuring durability suitable for furniture.
On wooden furniture and caskets the Embriachi artisans utilized wood, bone, stained bone, and lead for durability.
The Embriachi techniques in decorating caskets and furniture is very similar to the Nasrid Dynasty work which is located in western-Europe in Andalusia-Spain with one main difference in the use of ivory and stained ivory instead of bone.