Table rectangulaire basse
Table rectangulaire basse
Rectangular coffee table
Korea, Choson period, 19th century
Lacquered wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, shagreen, tortoiseshell and copper wire
H: 37 cm, W: 100 cm, D: 69.5 cm
The flight of the two dragons facing each other unfolds over the plateau and is made of inlays of mother-of-pearl, copper wire, shagreen and tortoise shell. The scrolled belt also features a decoration of geometric figures made of the same materials.
A formidable movement is given by the bodies of the dragons that occupy the whole space of the tray, rolled up on themselves, head to tail and whose heads face each other.
The structure of the bodies is given by a twisted copper or brass wire that encloses legs and body. The scales are perfectly rendered by small juxtaposed elements of tinted shagreen in the shape of a half-moon. The sacred tortoiseshell bead cut into a spiral shape is placed between the two heads. The brown lacquer is in some places lighter and brighter due to the presence of gold powder sprinkled on it.
The mother-of-pearl is used in small fragments juxtaposed to form the clouds of this turbulent sky. The eyes of the dragons are also made from iridescent mother-of-pearl rings that give a particularly lively look to the birds. Folded metal wires forming zigzags fill the rest of the space left free.
A probably exceptional piece of furniture of which we have not found an equivalent. The Metropolitan Museum of New York (see reference below) has a clothes box from the same period, which uses the same pattern of the dragons facing each other and the same materials. We find the same ingenuity that plays on the polychromies given by the use of different materials and that gives the whole thing movement and dramatic effect.
Rectangular table
Korea, Chosonn period, 19th century
Lacquered wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, sharkskin, tortoiseshell and copper wire
H: 37 cm, W: 100 cm, D: 69.5 cm
The flight of the two dragons facing each other takes place on the plateau and is composed of inlays of mother-of-pearl, copper wire, sharkskin and tortoise shell. The apron is also decorated with geometric figures made of the same materials.
A formidable movement is given by the bodies of the dragons which occupy the whole space of the tray, rolled up on themselves, head to tail and whose heads face each other.
The structure of the bodies is given by a twisted copper or brass wire which encloses legs and body. The scales are perfectly rendered by small juxtaposed elements of tinted sharkskin in the shape of a half-moon. The sacred pearl cut into a spiral shape made of tortoiseshell is placed between the two heads. The brown lacquer is in some places lighter and more luminous due to the presence of gold powder sprinkled over it.
The mother-of-pearl is used in small fragments juxtaposed to form the clouds of this turbulent sky. The eyes of the dragons are also made from iridescent mother-of-pearl rings which give a particularly lively look to the beasts. Folded metal wires forming zigzags fill the rest of the space left free.
A probably exceptional piece of furniture of which we have not found an equivalent. The Metropolitan Museum in New York (see reference below) has a clothing box from the same period, which uses the same pattern of two dragons and the same materials. We find the same ingenuity that plays on the polychromies given by the use of different materials and that gives the whole thing movement and dramatic effect.
Reference : Watt J.C.Y. and Ford B.B, "East Asian Lacquer ", the Florence and Herbert Irving collection, New York, 1991. P300, 324 and 325.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/40528
Automatically translated by DeepL. To see the original version, click here.
View it on
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Table rectangulaire basse
Rectangular coffee table
Korea, Choson period, 19th century
Lacquered wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, shagreen, tortoiseshell and copper wire
H: 37 cm, W: 100 cm, D: 69.5 cm
The flight of the two dragons facing each other unfolds over the plateau and is made of inlays of mother-of-pearl, copper wire, shagreen and tortoise shell. The scrolled belt also features a decoration of geometric figures made of the same materials.
A formidable movement is given by the bodies of the dragons that occupy the whole space of the tray, rolled up on themselves, head to tail and whose heads face each other.
The structure of the bodies is given by a twisted copper or brass wire that encloses legs and body. The scales are perfectly rendered by small juxtaposed elements of tinted shagreen in the shape of a half-moon. The sacred tortoiseshell bead cut into a spiral shape is placed between the two heads. The brown lacquer is in some places lighter and brighter due to the presence of gold powder sprinkled on it.
The mother-of-pearl is used in small fragments juxtaposed to form the clouds of this turbulent sky. The eyes of the dragons are also made from iridescent mother-of-pearl rings that give a particularly lively look to the birds. Folded metal wires forming zigzags fill the rest of the space left free.
A probably exceptional piece of furniture of which we have not found an equivalent. The Metropolitan Museum of New York (see reference below) has a clothes box from the same period, which uses the same pattern of the dragons facing each other and the same materials. We find the same ingenuity that plays on the polychromies given by the use of different materials and that gives the whole thing movement and dramatic effect.
Rectangular table
Korea, Chosonn period, 19th century
Lacquered wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, sharkskin, tortoiseshell and copper wire
H: 37 cm, W: 100 cm, D: 69.5 cm
The flight of the two dragons facing each other takes place on the plateau and is composed of inlays of mother-of-pearl, copper wire, sharkskin and tortoise shell. The apron is also decorated with geometric figures made of the same materials.
A formidable movement is given by the bodies of the dragons which occupy the whole space of the tray, rolled up on themselves, head to tail and whose heads face each other.
The structure of the bodies is given by a twisted copper or brass wire which encloses legs and body. The scales are perfectly rendered by small juxtaposed elements of tinted sharkskin in the shape of a half-moon. The sacred pearl cut into a spiral shape made of tortoiseshell is placed between the two heads. The brown lacquer is in some places lighter and more luminous due to the presence of gold powder sprinkled over it.
The mother-of-pearl is used in small fragments juxtaposed to form the clouds of this turbulent sky. The eyes of the dragons are also made from iridescent mother-of-pearl rings which give a particularly lively look to the beasts. Folded metal wires forming zigzags fill the rest of the space left free.
A probably exceptional piece of furniture of which we have not found an equivalent. The Metropolitan Museum in New York (see reference below) has a clothing box from the same period, which uses the same pattern of two dragons and the same materials. We find the same ingenuity that plays on the polychromies given by the use of different materials and that gives the whole thing movement and dramatic effect.
Reference : Watt J.C.Y. and Ford B.B, "East Asian Lacquer ", the Florence and Herbert Irving collection, New York, 1991. P300, 324 and 325.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/40528
Automatically translated by DeepL. To see the original version, click here.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Similar Items
