Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen
This publication highlights some of the most important examples of eastern arts now in the western world
Pair of mounted bowls
late 17th to early 18th century: mounts, late 18th centuryWood decorated in black and gold lacquer, mounted in gilt bronze | 29.8 x 38.7 x 31.4 cm (whole object) | RCIN 3154
These bowls combine Japanese lacquer and French mounts of equally high quality. Each bowl was made by building up numerous very thin layers of lacquer on a thin wooden base. The lacquer is decorated with swirling eddies, herons and plants against a granular gold (nashiji) ground. Lacquer objects of this quality were not made for the export market and this may have reached the West by means of the private trading that officers of the various East India companies were permitted to carry on.
Text adapted from Royal Treasures, A Golden Jubilee Celebration, London 2002 and "Gold", London, 2014 and Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen: Volume III.
Creator(s)
Japan [Asia] (place of production)
Japanese (nationality)
French (metalworker)
29.8 x 38.7 x 31.4 cm (whole object)