Red lacquer cabinet decorated with gold and colored powders, - Lot 337

Red lacquer cabinet decorated with gold and colored powders, with double doors, featuring wood panels carved in relief and gilded depicting battle scenes, opening on two drawers decorated with children. The technique known as "ni jin cai qi "泥金彩漆 originated in the Hemudu (河姆渡) culture (circa 5000-3300 BC), known in the Ningbo region. It combines lacquer work with the application of metallic powders obtained from gold or silver leaf finely ground and mixed with lacquer, and enjoyed a remarkable boom under the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, where it was prized by both the learned and the merchant elite. China, late 19th-early 20th century. Height: 145.5 cm. Width: 109 cm. Depth: 39.2 cm. (Reinforcement on the back, cracks on the drawers, small cracks on the doors).