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Diminutive chest adorned with typical late Renaissance motifs, probably commissioned to celebrate the occasion of a marriage. It displays the classic ‘Romayne’ heads of husband and wife in profile, surrounded by stylised foliage. The ‘palmettes’ carved on the stiles and rails are a typical 16th and 17th century Scottish motif. The chest shows significant Continental influence particularly French, as the arrival of the French Court with Queen Mary filtered Court fashions into normal Scottish society. Like many articles of the time, the chest is rich with symbolic motifs. For instance, the foliage is representative of fertility, while the lozenge carving on the sides is the classic diamond motif associated with marriage. There are signs of restoration on the back right.
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