Inlay cabinet

Enrico A. D'Albertis 1932

Hakone, Japan, 1875 - 1880

C.D.A 1583

Tipo di misura: altezzaxlarghezzaxspessore; Unità di misura: cm; Valore: 171x72x32

Giappone

Polychrome wooden inlay

Arredo

Wooden structure with shelves, doors and drawers, covered with wooden inlays in various natural colours in a vast ornamental repertoire of geometric and floral motifs. This interesting piece of furniture was probably acquired by Captain d'Albertis during his first World Tour, in the years 1877-1878. It represents the full technical evolution of the valuable wooden inlay yosegi zaiku (寄木細工) traditionally practised since 1635, i.e. from the beginning of the Edo period (1600 - 1867) in Hakone, a town located on the lake of the same name near Mount Fuji, in the province of Odawara. Fuelled by the immense reserves of precious wood in the surrounding wooded area, this artistic craftsmanship originates from the ancient skills and specific culture of Japanese carpenters, joiners and inlayers who, in the 8th century, came in contact for the first time with inlaid decorative artefacts imported for Japanese rulers from Tang Dynasty China (618-906).