A Lacquer Cabinet Commissioned for the Portuguese Market on an English Stand
Momoyama period (late 16th century), English stand, late 18th - early 19th century
The rectangular cabinet with a drop front, opening to reveal 18 various-sized drawers surrounding a central drawer of architectural form, decorated in gold, silver and coloured hiramaki-e [low relief lacquer] and inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a black lacquered ground, the drop front with a cartouche enclosing a garden scene depicting figures on a bridge over water beside pine, willow, tachibana [citrus] and a hut on the banks, all against a geometric ground and surrounded by a border of shippo-hanabishi, the top with a cartouche depicting a hunter who is about to release an arrow from a bow towards deer by a stream beneath trees, one side with clematis and the other side with two sparrows amongst bamboo and bamboo shoot, the back with vine, each side divided by the mother-of-pearl inlaid geometric pattern borders, the interior of the door similarly decorated with clematis, the drawers decorated with various designs including flowers and foliage, autumn grasses, a willow, shrimp and a stream, the central drawer with an owl, gilt pulls in the form of chrysanthemum flowerhead, some European japanning to the decoration, copper fittings incised with flowers and foliage, fitted key; on a carved English wood stand with sliding shelf to support the drop front on four cabriole legs, japanned with scattered flower sprays on a black lacquer ground
Cabinet 64.8cm. high, 89cm. wide, 50.5cm. deep; stand 74.5cm. high, 96.5cm. wide, 53.3cm. deep

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