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Mazarin chest

The Mazarin Chest

The Mazarin Chest, renowned as one of the finest pieces of Japanese export lacquer to have survived from the second quarter of the seventeenth century, is a star item in the V&A's internationally acclaimed collection of Japanese art. It is made of black-lacquered wood lavishly decorated with landscape scenes incorporating subject matter from the Tale of Genji and the Tale of the Soga Brothers.

History of the Mazarin Chest
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History of the Mazarin Chest

The Mazarin Chest was manufactured in Kyoto in the late 1630s or early 1640s. It is assumed that, like other examples of export lacquer, it was either shipped directly to Europe or to an official of the Dutch East India Company serving in the Dutch East Indies. マザラン･チェストは1640年頃京都で制作されました。他の輸出漆器と同様、ヨーロッパに直接出荷されたか、あるいはオランダ領東インド諸島に在住するオランダ東インド会社の職員に送られたと想定されています。
Design elements on the Mazarin Chest
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Design elements on the Mazarin Chest

The Tale of Genji and other design elements of the Mazarin Chest. マザラン･チェストを飾る源氏物語ならびに他の図案
Mazarin chest: Decoration techniques
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Mazarin chest: Decoration techniques

The Mazarin Chest is one of the finest pieces of Japanese export lacquer to have survived from the second quarter of the seventeenth century. Its superb quality is evident in its lavish decoration, which is executed to an astonishing level of detail using a wide range of specialist techniques. マザラン･チェストは、制作が１７世紀第二四半期に遡り、現存している日本輸出漆器の最高級品の一つです。その質の高さは、多岐にわたる特殊技法を駆使し、細部におよぶ驚くべき緻密さと豪奢な加飾にはっきりと見てとれます。
Mazarin Chest: Related Japanese export lacquer in the V&A
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Mazarin Chest: Related Japanese export lacquer in the V&A

The Mazarin Chest belongs to a small group of extremely high quality export lacquer items made in Kyoto during the 1630s and early 1640s, several of which are owned by the V&A. マザラン･チェストは1630年代から1640年代初期にかけて、京都で制作された最高級の輸出漆器の小群に属します。V&Aではその中の数点を収蔵しています。
Mazarin Chest: Related Japanese export lacquer in other collections
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Mazarin Chest: Related Japanese export lacquer in other collections

The Mazarin Chest has a companion very similar in subject matter and workmanship but somewhat larger in size. It was purchased at the 1882 Hamilton Palace sale by Sir Trevor Lawrence (1831-1913), a well-known collector of Japanese art by whose name it is now commonly referred to. マザラン･チェストには、サイズ的には幾分大きめですが、題材と作行きがきわめて類似する、対のチェストが存在します。このチェストは日本美術の収集家として知られるサー･トレバー･ローレンス（1831-1913）が1882
A Third Mazarin-type Chest
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A Third Mazarin-type Chest

The panels of the V&A's Vitel Cabinet and the Sotheby's Cabinet together with a recently acquired panel decorated with a landscape scene framed within an ogival cartouche appear to make up the front, sides and lid of a third Mazarin-type chest. ヴィテル･キャビネットならびにサザビーズ･キャビネットのパネル、そして楕円形のカートーシェに風景画を配したパネル（最近購入）を組み合わせると、マザラン様式の第三のチェストの前面、二つの側面、蓋を構成することが想定されます。
Lacquer at the V&A
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Lacquer at the V&A

The V&A has an important and substantial collection of lacquer. This includes Asian, Islamic and European japanned wares (objects made to imitate East Asian lacquer).
Conservation of the Mazarin Chest

Conservation of the Mazarin Chest

Treatment of the Mazarin Chest took place within the Conservation Department at the V&A. Whilst restoration seeks to return things to a previous, more perfect state, conservation seeks to minimise deterioration and pass the object on to the future with as little permanent change as possible. The first step in the conservation of the Mazarin Chest was to understand as much as possible about how it was made. マザラン･チェストの保存修復はV&Aの保存修復部を現場として行われました。修復作業とは、対象資料を、元の、より完全な状態に戻すことを目的とするのに対して、保存作業とは、劣化を最小限に押さえ、恒久的な変化をなるべくもたらさずに、対象資料を将来に托すことを趣旨とします。マザラン･チェストの保存作業は、まず、その制作技法をできるだけ理解することから始まりました。
Lacquer

Lacquer

The V&A has an important and substantial collection of lacquer comprising Asian, Islamic and European japanned wares (objects made to imitate East Asian lacquer). Its collection of Japanese lacquer is particularly impressive, and it also has very fine holdings of Chinese and Burmese lacquer.
Japan

Japan

The V&A's collection of Japanese art and design is one of the largest in Britain. It includes ceramics, lacquer, arms and armour, woodwork, metalwork, textiles and dress, prints, paintings and sculpture. An active programme of acquiring modern and contemporary studio crafts has resulted in the V&A having one of the most prestigious holdings of this material outside Japan.

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