Chest

Discussion

FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

This hand-carved chest belongs to a visually distinct group of works attributed to the Valdés family of carvers from what is now New Mexico. Chests such as this were the most common piece of furniture found in the region—multipurpose objects that also stood as decorative elements in homes and churches. In addition to the sculptural qualities of the geometric patterning and applied carved balls on this example, traces of red and black pigment reveal that it was once vibrantly painted.

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