Stacking Cabinet
1850-1867 (made)
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This stacking cabinet is a variation on a cabinet for the incense game. It contains small boxes within boxes to hold incense woods, and an outer tray in the form of a table with legs.
Time
The opening up of Japan in the mid-1850s after more than two centuries of seclusion from the rest of the world triggered a huge interest in Japanese art and design. Western collectors, artists and designers particularly admired lacquer, for which they had no equivalent. But while they appreciated such objects for their craftsmanship and design, they would not have understood their original function.
Historical Associations
This stacking cabinet was one of a group of objects displayed by the Japanese at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. This and subsequent international exhibitions were largely responsible for introducing Japanese art to the Western public. Lacquerwork formed a central part of the Japanese displays at these exhibitions. Some examples were old, but the majority, like this piece, were new or nearly new. The V&A acquired 20 items of Japanese lacquerwork from the Paris Exhibition.
This stacking cabinet is a variation on a cabinet for the incense game. It contains small boxes within boxes to hold incense woods, and an outer tray in the form of a table with legs.
Time
The opening up of Japan in the mid-1850s after more than two centuries of seclusion from the rest of the world triggered a huge interest in Japanese art and design. Western collectors, artists and designers particularly admired lacquer, for which they had no equivalent. But while they appreciated such objects for their craftsmanship and design, they would not have understood their original function.
Historical Associations
This stacking cabinet was one of a group of objects displayed by the Japanese at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. This and subsequent international exhibitions were largely responsible for introducing Japanese art to the Western public. Lacquerwork formed a central part of the Japanese displays at these exhibitions. Some examples were old, but the majority, like this piece, were new or nearly new. The V&A acquired 20 items of Japanese lacquerwork from the Paris Exhibition.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 11 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Wood, covered with black lacquer, with gold hiramaki-e, togidashi-e and takamaki-e lacquer decoration |
| Brief description | Lacquer stacking cabinet, Japan, 1850-1867 |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
JAPANESE OBJECTS FROM THE PARIS EXHIBITION OF 1867 The display organised by the Japanese at the Paris Exhibition of 1867 was a great success. Crowds flocked to see it. These are some of the many items acquired by the Museum. They are typical of the kind of objects made in Japan to meet the growing European demand.(27/03/2003) |
| Object history | Purchased from the Paris Exhibition, 1867, accessioned in 1869. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Summary | Object Type This stacking cabinet is a variation on a cabinet for the incense game. It contains small boxes within boxes to hold incense woods, and an outer tray in the form of a table with legs. Time The opening up of Japan in the mid-1850s after more than two centuries of seclusion from the rest of the world triggered a huge interest in Japanese art and design. Western collectors, artists and designers particularly admired lacquer, for which they had no equivalent. But while they appreciated such objects for their craftsmanship and design, they would not have understood their original function. Historical Associations This stacking cabinet was one of a group of objects displayed by the Japanese at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. This and subsequent international exhibitions were largely responsible for introducing Japanese art to the Western public. Lacquerwork formed a central part of the Japanese displays at these exhibitions. Some examples were old, but the majority, like this piece, were new or nearly new. The V&A acquired 20 items of Japanese lacquerwork from the Paris Exhibition. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 875 to J-1869 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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