Not currently on display at the V&A

Cupboard

About 1920 - 1940 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown (maker)
Place of origin
Beijing (made)

Decoration: Women and children in a garden, flowering sprays, birds and butterflies


Object details

Category
Furniture
Object type
Cupboard
Materials and techniques
Lacquer, black and gilding on a wood core, inlaid with variously coloured stones, ivory and shell. Metal fittings
Lacquer
Wood
Ivory
Metal
Lacquering
Gilding
Brief description
Cupboard, black lacquer and gilding on wood, decorated with inlays of stones, ivory and shell in figurative patterns, flowers, birds and butterflies; early 20th century, China
Physical description
Decoration: Women and children in a garden, flowering sprays, birds and butterflies
Dimensions
  • Depth: 40.7cm
  • Height: 163.2cm
  • Width: 99.5cm
Object history
Bought by the vendor in Beijing 'over 30 years ago'.
Notes on significance: Acquired as Kangxi period and described by P.K. Thornton, Keeper of F & W, as 'a handsome piece'and undoubtedly of Kangxi period. Described by Wang Shixiang in 9/1983 as 'certainly a 20th century Beijing piece', artificially aged, design unconvincing.
Production
Artist: Zhang Gui (**** - ****)
Biographical reference: Lee Yu-kuan 'Oriental Lacquer Art' (New York/Tokyo, 1972), p.339
Beijing
Factory: Zhang Gui workshop
Bibliographic reference
*** Soame Jenyns, Connoisseur, Dec 1952 pp.xxxvii and 213; Christies 2/11/67 lot 138; C. Clunas 'Chinese Furniture' (London, 1988) pl.85
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
W.5-1968

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Record createdFebruary 12, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O23711/cupboard-unknown/
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