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
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 E…
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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
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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 …
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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 …
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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 Trevo…
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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 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).
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A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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