The Lacquer Chest

In 2013, the owner of a French auction house happened upon a Japanese lacquer chest. And not just any chest. Dating from around 1640, this beautifully crafted item was made using maki-e, a Japanese technique in which metal powder – in this case gold of varying fineness – is sprinkled on wet lacquer. The dewdrops are inlaid in silver and the flowers are decorated with mother-of-pearl. With invaluable support from several funding bodies and private donors, the Rijksmuseum was able to acquire the chest, which has been studied and painstakingly restored over the past two years. Delve into this stunning artefact in our latest Friends video.