Description
Piece of furniture in rosewood veneer inlaid with motifs and scenes in pewter inspired by engravings of exotic stories in the collection of Johann NIEUHOF: Gesandtschaft der Ost Indischen Gesellschaft, Amsterdam, 1669 and the Asia of Johann Christian BERNN, 1681. Johann NIEUHOF accompanied as bursar the ambassadors sent by the Dutch government to Peking after the fall of the Ming Emperor in 1644. On his return, he published an account of his trip illustrated with engravings made from his drawings, a work that was the beginning of the European taste for chinoiserie. This piece of furniture opens with a drawer surmounted by a false drawer and a sliding tray revealing four drawers, upper part with two boxes with two drawers surmounted by a casket in doucine with secret opening, central part with a door framed by two rows of small drawers blocked by a system of secrets in the form of pins and topped by an upper niche. It rests in front on two columns in rosewood veneer and pewter flutes topped by gadrooned capitals and gilded wood bases. The feet are connected by an H-shaped brace. Antwerp, late 17th century. Total height : 131 cm - Width : 95 cm - Depth : 62 cm Condition : very small accidents to the veneer, some restorations and missing pieces. Furniture of similar construction or decoration : Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (Inv.R 3362) of Munich, Museum des Kunsthandwerks of Leipzig, Stedelijk Museum of Courtai, Hotel de Ville of Saint Nicolas. Bibliography : Ria FABRI, Meubles d'apparat des Pays-Bas méridionaux, Ed.resp.Coesens, 1989. Sale Mentmore, Sotheby's, London, Vol.I, lot n°922, 20 May 1977.
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Piece of furniture in rosewood veneer inlaid with motifs and scenes in pewter inspired by engravings of exotic stories in the collection of Johann NIEUHOF: Gesandtschaft der Ost Indischen Gesellschaft, Amsterdam, 1669 and the Asia of Johann Christian BERNN, 1681. Johann NIEUHOF accompanied as bursar the ambassadors sent by the Dutch government to Peking after the fall of the Ming Emperor in 1644. On his return, he published an account of his trip illustrated with engravings made from his drawings, a work that was the beginning of the European taste for chinoiserie. This piece of furniture opens with a drawer surmounted by a false drawer and a sliding tray revealing four drawers, upper part with two boxes with two drawers surmounted by a casket in doucine with secret opening, central part with a door framed by two rows of small drawers blocked by a system of secrets in the form of pins and topped by an upper niche. It rests in front on two columns in rosewood veneer and pewter flutes topped by gadrooned capitals and gilded wood bases. The feet are connected by an H-shaped brace. Antwerp, late 17th century. Total height : 131 cm - Width : 95 cm - Depth : 62 cm Condition : very small accidents to the veneer, some restorations and missing pieces. Furniture of similar construction or decoration : Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (Inv.R 3362) of Munich, Museum des Kunsthandwerks of Leipzig, Stedelijk Museum of Courtai, Hotel de Ville of Saint Nicolas. Bibliography : Ria FABRI, Meubles d'apparat des Pays-Bas méridionaux, Ed.resp.Coesens, 1989. Sale Mentmore, Sotheby's, London, Vol.I, lot n°922, 20 May 1977.
