This is a cassone, or wedding chest, a traditional part of the furnishing of a wealthy Renaissance home. Pairs of chests were often purchased by the groom as part of the 'counter-dowry' and the paintings on them often told moral tales suitable for prosperous families. Here the wicked schoolmaster of Falerii tries to betray his city by offering a besieging general a group of children as hostages, but is refused. Although drawn from classical literature, the story has been reworked to make it appealing to contemporary Italians -- everyone is in versions of fifteenth-century dress, and Falerii is shown as a walled medieval town rather than a classical city. Although cassoni were made throughout Italy, they have been particularly associated with Tuscany and Florence. The artist, the so-called Master of Marradi, was a follower of Domenico Ghirlandaio and specialised in depicting historical scenes with figures in contemporary dress.