Cabinet with Mythological Scenes

Description Elegant cabinets made of polished ebony, a black wood from Africa or India, were prized at the French court during the reign of King Louis XIII (1601-43) as works of art as well as places to keep precious possessions. The exterior of this one is carved with reliefs depicting moralizing scenes from Greek and Roman mythology. In contrast, the playful interior is like a theater set replicating the intricate architecture of a grand residence. Alcoves and false vistas of Roman ruins create shifting perspectives complemented by the inlay pattern of the floor. In the "ceiling" painting, Icarus falls to his death, because the wax he used to attach the wings to his back melted when he flew too near the sun. The drawers are carved with everyday activities from each month in a farmer's year, beginning with January, represented by idle peasants carousing before a fire.

Conservation

Damages consolidated and inpainted

Date	Description	Narrative
6/15/1954	Treatment	cleaned; repaired; coated
5/03/1960	Treatment	cleaned; loss compensation
12/01/1964	Treatment	repaired; loss compensation
3/15/1988	Treatment	repaired; cleaned
4/08/1988	Examination	examined for condition
11/11/1988	Examination	examined for condition
11/15/1989	Examination	examined for condition
5/09/1993	Examination	examined for condition
5/25/1993	Examination	examined for condiition
1/01/1996	Examination	examined for survey
8/13/1996	Examination	examined for condition
10/01/2005	Treatment	cleaned; coated; repaired; loss compensation
8/02/2019	Treatment	inpainted

Exhibitions

• World of Wonder. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1971-1972.
• Highlights from the Collection. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1998-2001.

Provenance Baron de Boisseau, prior to 1876; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters