A FINE BLACK AND GOLD LACQUER ‘PEACOCK AND SPARROWS’ SHODANA (SMALL DISPLAY CABINET)

拍品描述

A FINE BLACK AND GOLD LACQUER ‘PEACOCK AND SPARROWS’ SHODANA (SMALL DISPLAY CABINET) Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Finely constructed, the cabinet raised on short lobed feet fitted with silver mounts finely engraved with a delicate shippo pattern. The lower section comprises a drawer with a silver handle in the form of a flourishing bamboo stalk, surmounted by a mokko-shaped compartment inspired by the form of a tsuba, containing two small drawers with plum blossom-shaped handles and a diagonally arranged sliding-door compartment. Above is a further drawer with sliding doors, supported by four corner posts and surmounted by a tray with elegantly lobed corners. The entire cabinet is set against a lustrous roiro lacquer ground and exquisitely decorated in gold, silver, and iro-e takamaki-e and hiramaki-e, further enriched with e-nashiji, gold foil appliqué, and kirigane. The lower sections depict sparrows fluttering among bamboo, pine, and seasonal flowers, while the upper tray is adorned with a majestic peacock with its tail fully spread amid blooming peonies. The refined combination of auspicious motifs and luxurious materials exemplifies the sophistication of Edo-period lacquer craftsmanship. SIZE 24 x 27.2 x 19.4 cm Shodana were small decorative cabinets designed for the display of treasured objects within the interiors of elite Japanese residences. Combining refined lacquer decoration with intricate construction, they served both a practical and aesthetic purpose, providing a sophisticated setting for the arrangement of personal possessions, incense utensils, small sculptures, and other objects of artistic appreciation. During the Edo period, such cabinets became important elements of cultivated domestic interiors, particularly among aristocratic, samurai, and wealthy merchant households. Museum comparison: Compare a related gold lacquer shodana (display cabinet) decorated with blossoming trees and birds, Edo period, 18th-19th century, 30.8 cm long, in the Walters Art Museum, accession number 67.254. Auction comparison: Compare a related larger gold- and black-lacquer shodana (display cabinet) decorated with blossoming flowers amid verdant grasses, Edo period, 19th century, at Bonhams, Fine Asian Works of Art, San Francisco, 7 June 2005, lot 2255 (sold for USD 7,635 or approx. EUR 11,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

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