Painted, gilded and stuccoed cassone side panel, Tuscany 15th century

This side panel comes from a Florentine cassone from the 15th century, richly decorated with foliage, putti medallions and gilded pastiglia motifs on a polychrome background. This type of object, generally offered on the occasion of aristocratic weddings, served both as a trousseau box and as a narrative and educational aid. The vertical arrangement of the composition and its narrow, elongated proportions allow this panel to be identified as a side of the trunk, distinct from the main frontal scene.
On the left, a bearded man, partially naked, draped in animal skin and holding a club: this is clearly Hercules. On the right, a seated man dressed in an orange robe, holding an object (stylus or scroll) in front of a desk. He appears to be teaching or imparting knowledge.The scene is framed by a decorative mandorla on a stylised plant background, in a structured and balanced composition.
The scene depicts Hercules likely receiving a lesson on moral philosophy. This theme is consistent with the Florentine humanist tradition, in which ancient figures embodied models of virtue for conjugal and civic life.
Florentine cassoni during the 1400s were objects of narrative art, commissioned for prestigious weddings. Their iconography, often allegorical or mythological, was intended to convey moral values in a domestic context. This side panel, dated circa 1460, bears witness to a high level of craftsmanship: gilded stucco, vivid polychromy, and decoration in relief. It most likely comes from an important princely or merchant commission, at the heart of Florentine humanist production.
Modern black frame