Chest
ca. 1890-1900 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
A karabitsu chest and lid, raised on six legs with gilt copper mounts and a pair of chrysanthemum-headed rings on either main side of the body. The chest is decorated with an all-over design of phoenix roundels inlaid with cut and shaped pieces of mother-of-pearl on a brown/black lacquer ground. The roundels on the legs are composed of circular pieces of mother-of-pearl, over which lacquer has been applied leaving the form of a phoenix reserved in shell. The interior is of plain brown lacquer.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Lacquered wood with inlaid mother-of-pearl |
Brief description | Karabitsu chest, phoenix roundels inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a brown lacquer ground, Japan, circa 1890-1900. |
Physical description | A karabitsu chest and lid, raised on six legs with gilt copper mounts and a pair of chrysanthemum-headed rings on either main side of the body. The chest is decorated with an all-over design of phoenix roundels inlaid with cut and shaped pieces of mother-of-pearl on a brown/black lacquer ground. The roundels on the legs are composed of circular pieces of mother-of-pearl, over which lacquer has been applied leaving the form of a phoenix reserved in shell. The interior is of plain brown lacquer. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Gallery label | CHEST
Wood covered in brown lacquer inlaid with shell and with gilt copper fittings
Phoenix roundels
About 1890-1900
FE.547-1992
This chest is an almost exact copy of a late 11th to early 12th century chest in the Tokyo National Museum. By studying the methods of manufacture, techniques and styles of decoration of past masterpieces and reproducing them accurately, craftsmen were able to rediscover and revive techniques of the past. Such reproductions were made at the Nara Hakurankaisha (Nara Exhibition Company), established in 1874, and its offshoot, the Onkosha (Onko Company). By 1891 a lowering of standards was evident, and this chest undoubtedly belongs to this later period. |
Subject depicted | |
Collection | |
Accession number | FE.547:1-1992 |
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Record created | May 15, 2009 |
Record URL |
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