Signed Mid 19th C. Edo/Meiji Period Diminutive Lacquer Stacking Cabinet, Japan

Signed Mid 19th C. Edo/Meiji Period Diminutive Lacquer Stacking Cabinet, Japan

The highly decorated tray in the form of a table frames a series of three stacking boxes, a further three lidded boxes and a tray concealed within, raised on ogee bracket feet.

This fine lacquer stacking cabinet of gold and black is a variation on a cabinet for incense. It contains small boxes within boxes to hold incense woods and an outer tray in the form of a table with legs.

All of the original eleven components are present.

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.

Further reading: (see last image in gallery)
This stacking cabinet relates closely to an example purchased by the Victoria & Albert Museum at the Paris Exhibition of 1867 (accession number: 875 to J-1869). 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 lacquer work from the Paris Exhibition.

It is plausible that this item was purchased at the Paris Exhibition in 1867.