Indiana University Indiana University IU

Browse the collection

Lid from a Cassone with the Pazzi and Borromei Coats of Arms

Artist Apollonio di Giovanni (Italian, 1416–1465)
Title Lid from a Cassone with the Pazzi and Borromei Coats of Arms
Date 1463
Medium Tempera on panel
Dimensions Overall: 21 1/8 x 72 in. (53.7 x 182.9 cm)
Framed: 21 1/8 × 72 3/16 × 1 3/4 in. (53.7 × 183.4 × 4.4 cm)
Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 75.37

Share this artwork!

About this Work

This panel once formed the lid of a cassone, a wedding chest for storing textiles. It was commissioned for the daughter of Giovanni Borromei on the occasion of her marriage to Giovanni di Antonio de’ Pazzi. The two putti riding on dolphins are symbols of the Pazzi family, while the banners attached to their horns display the coats of arms of both of these powerful banking families. Most examples of Pazzi heraldry were effaced in 1478 after members of the family assassinated Guiliano de Medici, brother of Florence’s de facto ruler. However, as this panel likely formed the interior lid of the cassone, it remained unseen and therefore unscathed.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

Viewing Information
This artwork is currently on view.

 

Request this Image
The Eskenazi Museum of Art provides images of its collection, free of charge, upon request. This artwork is under copyright protection. You can request the image and it will be emailed to you when the request is complete.

Cite this Page
"Lid from a Cassone with the Pazzi and Borromei Coats of Arms | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=75.37