Kinesisk export chatol af sort lak og sortmalet træ med forgyldt dekoration, buet top med svanehals, herunder et par døre dekoreret med landskabelige scenerier, bag hvilke et detaljeret monteret interiør inddelt med rum, skuffer og skydedøre. Herunder skrå skriveklap bag hvilken små skuffer og centreret af en dør med hintergalss bemalt spejl, visende en ung hyrde med får i landskab. Det ydre af chatollet dekoreret med kinesiske landskabsscener, interiøret med landskaber, blomster og fugle på låger og skuffer. Hver side med bæregreb af bronze og mindre beslag, håndtag og nøgleskilte af messing. Canton (Guangzhou) syd Kina, ca. 1740. H. 230. B. 115. D. 66. The elaborate design of this cabinet shows how Chinese craftsmen were able to master the complex forms of European furniture, with its arrangement of compartments and drawers which had an exotic appeal in the West. The palette of black and gold is not typically Chinese but imitates Japanese lacquer, which was expensive and difficult to procure in the 18th century. Provenance: A Danish private collection. A pair of cabinets now in the Royal Castle of Fredensborg in Denmark were acquired by Christian IV for the Royal Collection in 1738 from Captain Guillame de Brouwer of the ship Sleswig. This ship had first visited Canton in 1734 under the auspices of the Royal Danish Asiatic Company. Besides the main cargo of tea, porcelain and silk, each seaman, according to rank, was allowed to return to Denmark with decorative goods, which he was able to sell by private treaty.
