  About the Artwork
  
  
  In this exquisite chest, inlays of rare hardwoods, mother-of-pearl, metal, and ivory depict saws, rulers, compasses, wood planes, hammers, mallets, and chisels — tools that would have been used by the skilled craftsman who created it. It is a celebration of the work of joiners, skillful cabinetmakers who specialized in decorating furniture with thin veneers of precious woods and other materials; indeed, the sides portray joiners creating these veneers, which were less than 2.5 millimeters thick. 

This chest was crafted for the joiners’ guild — or craft organization — of Frankfurt (present-day Germany) by one of its members. It would have contained the guild’s official documents, a list of masters and journeymen, and a ceremonial drinking cup used to welcome new members. Most importantly, the chest guarded a store of money meant to support craftsmen and their families during hardship or sickness, and to pay for deceased joiners’ funeral services. Frankfurt’s community of makers relied on these resources, much like today’s retirement plans and life insurance. To ensure the contents’ security, the chest’s complex lock can only be opened by four keys, held by four leaders of the guild, and its lid lifts straight up, allowing a clear view into the container from all sides. 

In addition to securing important guild possessions, the chest celebrated both the present and future of its craft community. The names of master joiners appear on the body of the chest, while those of journeymen still learning the trade appear on the lid.
  
  
  Title
  Frankfurt Joiners&#039; Guild Chest
  
  
  Artwork Date
  1751
  
  Artist
  Simon Ackerholm
  
  
  
  Life Dates
  1715-1760
  
  
  
  
  Nationality
  
  
  
  Please note:
  Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events.
  Some definitions include:
  Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation.
  
  
  
  Swedish
  
  
  
  Culture
  
  
  
  Please note:
  Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group.
  
  
  
  
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  Medium
  Oak, walnut, mother-of-pearl, green and white ivory, pewter, brass, yew, rosewood, ebony, mahogany, gilt bronze
  
  
  Dimensions
  Overall: 21 × 27 × 17 inches (53.3 × 68.6 × 43.2 cm)
  
  
  Classification
  Furniture
  
  
  Department
  European Sculpture and Dec Arts
  
  
  Credit
  Gift of anonymous donor
  
  
  
  Accession Number
  
  
  
  This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection.
  Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings.
  For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups.
  
  
  
  44.80
  
  
  Copyright
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