A striking Spanish provincial painted blanket chest (arcón) dating from the late eighteenth to early nineteenth century, decorated with vibrant polychrome ornament influenced by traditional Moorish and Mudéjar design.The chest is constructed in solid timber and features richly painted geometric and stylised motifs in warm reds, ochres, blues and creams. These decorative patterns reflect the long influence of Islamic decorative arts within Spanish craftsmanship, particularly in rural furniture where bold painted surfaces were used to transform everyday objects into decorative pieces.The end panels display intricate hand-painted designs framed within coloured borders, while the top retains traces of the original painted decoration across the plank boards. At the centre is a hand-forged iron handle, a typical feature of Spanish storage chests of this period.Known in Spain as arcónes, these large chests were used for storing blankets, textiles and household belongings. Their ro...