japaneseaesthetics: Unknown maker, Japanese, The Mazarin Chest, about 1640. Wood covered in black la
japaneseaesthetics: Unknown maker, Japanese, The Mazarin Chest, about 1640. Wood covered in black lacquer with gold and silver hiramakie and takamakie lacquer; inlaid with gold, silver and shibuichi alloy; and mother-of-pearl shell; gilded copper fittings. Object: H: 59 X W: 101.5 X D: 63.9 cm. EX 2009.2.1. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England, 412(1-2)-1882@ V&A Images. LOS ANGELES, CA.- Sometime around 1640, Japanese craftsmen at a lacquer workshop in Kyoto finished what was to become one of their country’s most beautiful historical treasures: a masterpiece of black and gold lacquer known today as the Mazarin Chest. Lavishly decorated with scenes from Japanese literature including the Tale of Genji and the Tale of the Soga Brothers, the chest is among the finest examples of a type of lacquer decoration perfected by the Japanese for European consumers.Made for export, the chest was shipped to Europe and was owned by a series of prominent collectors during the next 200 years. In 1882, it was purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London , becoming a star attraction in that museum’s collection of Japanese art. -- source link
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