Kitchen Cupboard please inquire about price

Painted wood, dated and inscribed: “Heinrich Schneider 1856”.
Hungary.
77 in. × 42.5 in. × 18 in.

A Brief History of Painted Folk Furniture

As an important part of the marriage tradition, young eastern European women brought furniture, linens, and other household items with them as their dowry on their wedding day. For his part, the groom contributed farm tools and livestock to the new home.

A reflection of her family’s wealth and status, her furniture established the domestic scene and prepared it for occupation by the new family. The bride or hired craftsmen painted the furniture with brightly colored flowers or trees in a style indigenous to the region. Each decorative element was significant and carried a different symbolical meaning, reference to the family history, or magical power. Paintings often included the names and marriage date of the couple.

Every bride brought at least her dowry-chest or wedding chest, the most essential piece in the collection. Cupboards containing the family’s valuables, including their Bible, rosary, and medicines, were placed in the home’s sacred corner.