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Shakespeare's Lost Interiors

An Imported Chest

‘Are my chests fill’d up with extorted gold?’

Henry VI, Part II (Act IV, scene 7)

 

Shakespeare would have displayed a number of imported objects at New Place. This large chest is made from cypress wood and was produced in northern Italy. It is extremely wide, measuring almost 2 m across and about 50 cm in height and depth. The front of the chest is decorated with detailed carvings. These designs include a large fountain in the centre with two panels on either side containing ships, arches and silhouetted figures. Lions, birds, mythical creatures and leaves fill the rest of this front section. The outside and inside of the chest are further decorated using a technique known as penwork. This describes the process of applying ink to a wooden surfacing using a quill. Such decoration is often found on cypress chests as this kind of wood is both durable and easy to work with. Chests such as this were used to store a variety of domestic goods including clothing, bed and dining linens. They could be locked with a key so were also used to hold valuables such as expensive fabrics, money pots and smaller chests and coffers. 

Almost every household in early modern England owned chests of some kind. This chest is an especially high quality piece. Cypress chests are mentioned in probate inventories belonging to merchant, upper middling and elite households. They were usually imported from the Mediterranean or southern Europe. They might be purchased in London or other port cities, or bought directly from one of the many European craftsmen living in Britain at this time. This chest is thought to have been made in the important Italian trading region of Venice or the Adige. Imported goods could be expensive, especially when expertly crafted and decorated. This chest is one such example. The display of such items was just another way Shakespeare could demonstrate his wealth, taste and connections within the space of his home.