SAPFM Museum Furniture Collection

Tripod Brazier

Tripod Brazier, c. 1400–1450, wrought iron and copper
Date
c. 1400–1450
Medium
wrought iron and copper
Dimensions
Overall: 116.8 cm (46 in.)
Origin
Italy
Culture
Italy, Siena(?)
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Accession
1916.97
Credit line
Dudley P. Allen Fund
Metal braziers were filled with hot coals and used to heat rooms. Similar braziers are often depicted in 15th-century paintings and frescoes, shown in use in childbirth scenes and in hospitals, infirmaries, and sick rooms. This brazier consists of a detachable coal pan and an ornate tripod stand. Such objects must have been considered necessary furnishings and therefore subject to decoration. They were portable and could be moved from room to room as needed.
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