A paints box in lacquered wood and mother-of-pearl, 19th - 20th century

Wooden painting box lacquered in black and decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays. It is composed of four pieces, the lowest being the tallest, with an octagonal profile. The exterior faces show bunches of flowers in oval cartouches on a lattice of hexagons and triangles. The supports are placed at the corners and form steps with the skirt. The cover envelope shows a circular scene of birds surrounding a branch of roses. The border has geometric motifs. The perfection of the inlays, their color and the state of preservation are remarkable.

Chinese handcrafted mother-of-pearl is an artistic treasure known by the term "螺钿" (luódiàn). It refers to the decorative technique of inlaying very thin sheets of mother-of-pearl shells into lacquered materials to form compositions. Because mother-of-pearl is a natural object with a beautiful appearance, it is widely used in lacquerware, furniture, screens, boxes and plates. On the base there are six carved characters. 

Dimensions: 16,5 x 17,5 cm; Weight: 454 g