Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 9. (Budapest, 1966)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Horváth, Tibor: Two Japanese Lacquer Boxes of the Early 18th Century

II. A LACQUER BOX IN CHINESE STYLE There is another lacquer box combined with wicker-work (or bamboo bark) dating from the early 18th century, that can be presented from the collection of the Museum (fig. 3.). Apart from the laths applied on the corners, the wicker-work is directly covered by the thick black layers so that the pattern of the former is readily discernible under the latter. This lacquered part served as a frame of the main decoration, extended on the basket-work the motifs were layed out with applied stones (soapstone, agalmatolit, etc.), mother-of-pearl and coloured pieces of ivory. At the bottom part of the box, on each side, there are only three smaller size motifs such as plum-flowers, bats, butterflies or other flowers and fruits, whereas on the lid of the box (fig. 4) the white peony in the basket, together with the teapot and the bat, almost completely covers the entire surface. The bottom part of the box is lined inside with a gold brocade (fig. 5). Size: 12.7X19.7 cm, width: 14.3 cm. From the collection of Ferenc Hopp who bought it between 1883 — and 1913 for 200.—Kronen. Inv. nr.: 1563. The carving of the stones was either done in China, or a rather accurate imitation of similar Chinese pieces. The large pattern of the cover is also conceived in Chinese expression. The Chinese framed pictures, on black lacquer ground with inlaid stones, are the best known representatives of this style, but possibly smaller pieces were also made in this style, such as boxes comparable to ours.