Cabinet
18th century
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A square-cornered miniature display and storage cabinet of carved red lacquer, with five asymmetrically arranged shelves, three drawers and a two-door cupboard at the lower right. The rear of the cabinet is carved with an eight-point star diaper, framed by a band of huiwen. The top is carved with floral scrolls, framed by a band of eight-point star diaper. All edges of the top, sides and frames of the shelves, drawers and doors are carved with archaistic squared scrolls. The shelves are framed on all sides by edging carved with swirling clouds. The side panels, door and drawer fronts are carved with figure subjects. The insides of the shelves, drawers and cupboard are lacquered plain black. The drawer pulls, hinges and caps to the feet are in gilt metal. The narrow apron on all four sides is carved with a wan diaper.
Object details
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Lacquer on wooden core, gilt metal details |
| Brief description | Red lacquer display cabinet, China, 18th century |
| Physical description | A square-cornered miniature display and storage cabinet of carved red lacquer, with five asymmetrically arranged shelves, three drawers and a two-door cupboard at the lower right. The rear of the cabinet is carved with an eight-point star diaper, framed by a band of huiwen. The top is carved with floral scrolls, framed by a band of eight-point star diaper. All edges of the top, sides and frames of the shelves, drawers and doors are carved with archaistic squared scrolls. The shelves are framed on all sides by edging carved with swirling clouds. The side panels, door and drawer fronts are carved with figure subjects. The insides of the shelves, drawers and cupboard are lacquered plain black. The drawer pulls, hinges and caps to the feet are in gilt metal. The narrow apron on all four sides is carved with a wan diaper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | The side panels, door and drawer fronts are carved with figure subjects. On the left side panel: Tao Yuanming enjoying chrysanthemums. On the right side panel: Su Shi's visit to the Red Cliff. One the bottom left drawer: Two elderly figures seated on the ground by water. On the central drawer: Boy greeting old man with staff. On the centre-right drawer: Writing an inscription on a cliff. On the left door: Washing a tong tree. On the fight door: two figures with a servant see an Immortal high up among rocks. |
| Credit line | Given by the Museums and Galleries Commission, from the estate of Mrs L. F. Palmer |
| Object history | According to the list of objects from the Palmer collection in the V&A archive, this object came from 'the Summer Palace, Pekin'. This refers to the imperial summer retreat Yuanming Yuan, located north of Beijing, which was plundered and destroyed by British and French troops during the Second Opium War in 1860. It is not possible to verify whether this object came from Yuanming Yuan, but it is certainly of high quality. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.54-1983 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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