|
|
Article: Lacquer and japanning in seventeenth-century Flemish and Dutch paintings.
- Article from:
- The Magazine Antiques
- Article date:
- October 1, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Brant Publications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Trade with the Far East had a far-reaching influence on the West. The Portuguese established the trade during the sixteenth century, joined early in the following century by other European nations. The imported luxury goods, such as silks, porcelain, lacquer, exotic woods, tea, and spices, left a lasting mark on art, taste, and customs in Europe.
Before the seventeenth century, the Portuguese only brought a small number of lacquer objects to the Continent. Admired for their lustrous surface, exotic decoration, and resistance to stains, these rare early examples of Asian lacquer entered a few select collections. (1) Often referred to in this context is a Japanese ...