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拍品专文
THE FASHION FOR CHINOISERIE DATES BACK TO THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY AFTER THE RESTORATION OF CHARLES II IN 1660 WHEN TRADE WITH THE FAR EAST FLOURISHED AND THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS DEMAND FOR CHINESE LACQUER SCREENS, CABINETS AND CHESTS. TO SATISFY THIS DEMAND, ENGLISH AND CONTINENTAL CABINETMAKERS DEVELOPED JAPANNING IN IMITATION OF TRUE ASIAN LACQUER. EUROPEAN ARTISTS FOUND INSPIRATION IN CONTEMPORARY IMAGES OF ASIA SUCH AS THOSE ENGRAVED AND PUBLISHED BY THE DUTCH EAST INDIES COMPANY WHILE JOHN STALKER AND GEORGE PARKER'S A TREATISE ON JAPANNING AND VARNISHING (1688) PROVIDED INSTRUCTION AND A 'HUNDRED DISTINCT PATTERNS FOR JAPAN-WORK, IN IMITATION OF THE INDIANS' FOR PROFESSIONAL CRAFTSMEN AS WELL AS AMATEUR PRACTITIONERS.
BY 1696, LACQUERED CABINETS HAD BECOME 'STATUS SYMBOLS' FOR ROYALTY AND MEMBERS OF THEIR INNER CIRCLE. WHEN INVENTORY WAS TAKEN AT THE TIME OF QUEEN MARY'S DEATH, A NUMBER OF FURNISHINGS IN THE QUEEN'S BEDCHAMBER AT KENSINGTON PALACE WERE DECORATED WITH 'INDIA JAPAN' FOR DISPLAY OF HER LARGE COLLECTION OF ORIENTAL PORCELAIN. THIS COURT FASHION WAS BROUGHT TO ITS HEIGHT IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, WHEN THIS CABINET WAS PRODUCED. THE SUPREME QUALITY OF THE JAPANNED DECORATION ON THIS CABINET EPITOMIZES THE PINNACLE OF THIS CRAFT.
APPROPRIATE FOR THE FURNISHING OF A BEDROOM APARTMENT, THIS CABINET IS A PARTICULARLY RARE AND WONDERFUL EXAMPLE RETAINING ITS ORIGINAL FINIALS, BEVELED MIRROR GLASS, TURNED FEET AND BRASSES. WHILE ITS PROMINENT GEOMETRIC BORDERS AND SCALLOPED APRON ARE QUITE EXCEPTIONAL, ONE POSSIBLE MAKER IS JOHN BELCHIER (D. 1753), OF 'THE SUN' IN ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON, WHO IS FIRST RECORDED WORKING IN 1717. OTHER CABINETS BEARING HIS LABEL FEATURE DOORS WITH SIMILAR COMPARTMENTAL VIGNETTES ON A PATTERNED GROUND; THESE INCLUDE - A GREEN-GROUND EXAMPLE (SEE C. GILBERT, ED., PICTORIAL DICTIONARY OF MARKED LONDON FURNITURE 1700-1840, 1996, P. 82, FIGS. 57-59) AND A SCARLET PEDIMENTED EXAMPLE FROM THE PLYDELL BOUVERIE FAMILY, SOLD ANONYMOUSLY, SOTHEBY'S, LONDON, 30 NOVEMBER 2001, LOT 160 (£113,500). TWO JAPANNED CABINETS SUPPLIED BY BELCHIER FOR ERDDIG CASTLE, WALES WERE DESCRIBED IN 1732 AS BEING 'IN YE GRANDST MANNER AND AFTER YE NEWEST FASHION'. ONE OF THESE, A 'RED JAPAN CABINET', LISTED IN THE 'BLEW MOHAIR' BEDROOM IN THE 1726 INVENTORY, FEATURES SIMILAR ARCH-HEADED AND MIRRORED DOORS AND FITTED INTERIOR (M. DRURY, 'EARLY EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY FURNITURE AT ERDDIG', APOLLO, JULY 1978, P. 52, PL. II).
THE UNUSUAL COMBINATION OF A SCALLOPED APRON AND BALL FEET APPEARS ON A CABINET ACQUIRED BY THE RENOWNED COLLECTOR VISCOUNT LEVERHULME (D. 1925) (P. MACQUOID AND R. EDWARDS, THE DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH FURNITURE, 1924, VOL. II, P. 124, FIG. 14 AND A. C. TAIT, 'FURNITURE AT THE LADY LEVER ART GALLERY', APOLLO, OCTOBER 1947, FIG. 7) AND ANOTHER SOLD, THE PROPERTY OF A LADY, CHRISTIE'S, LONDON, 22 APRIL 2004, LOT 60 (£ 106,050).
THE PROVENANCE
THE CABINET ONCE BELONGED TO THE FAMED COLLECTOR GRENVILLE LINDALL WINTHROP (D. 1943) WHO QUIETLY ASSEMBLED ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTIONS OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, ALONGSIDE HIS CONTEMPORARIES SUCH AS MORGAN, FRICK AND MELLON. EMBRACING EVERY CULTURE AND HISTORICAL PERIOD, WINTHROP WAS HAILED AS 'THE MOST DISCRIMINATING ECLECTIC THAT AMERICA HAS EVER KNOWN AMONGST COLLECTORS' (NEW YORK TIMES). UPON HIS DEATH, HE GAVE HIS ENTIRE ART COLLECTION, COMPRISING OVER 4,000 OBJECTS, TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND ITS MUSEUMS. UPON ANNOUNCING HIS GIFT, HE SAID 'I AM NOT SO MUCH INTERESTED IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS I AM IN THE YOUNGER GENERATION WHOM I WANT TO TEACH IN THEIR IMPRESSIONABLE YEARS AND TO PROVE TO THEM THAT TRUE ART IS FOUNDED ON TRADITIONS AND THAT BEAUTY MAY BE FOUND IN ALL COUNTRIES AND IN ALL PERIODS, PROVIDED THE EYE CAN BE TRAINED TO FIND IT'. BORN INTO RARIFIED NEW YORK SOCIETY, HE DESCENDED FROM TWO COLONIAL GOVERNORS, JOHN WINTHROP (MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY) AND HIS SON, JOHN JR. (CONNECTICUT). HE SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH EXTRAORDINARY ART AND OBJECTS IN HIS NEW YORK TOWNHOUSE AT 15 EAST 81ST STREET AS WELL AS GROTON PLACE (FORMERLY THE ELMS), HIS SUMMER RETREAT IN LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS. THIS CABINET APPEARS IN ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS (HARVARD ART MUSEUM ARCHIVES) OF THE 81ST STREET MANSION WHERE IT FURNISHED THE BEDROOM OF GRENVILLE'S YOUNGER BROTHER, BEEKMAN - THE NEW YORK LAWYER, GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO AND LATER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. MOST EVERYTHING THAT GRENVILLE ACQUIRED WAS RECOMMENDED THROUGH HIS TRUSTED AGENT, MARTIN BIRNBAUM, WHOM HE MET IN 1914 AND WHO, IN TURN, BOUGHT LARGELY FROM PRIVATE SOURCES. WINTHROP ALSO USED SYDNEY LETTS FOR SOME OF HIS FURNITURE PURCHASES BUT THE CABINET IS NOT MENTIONED AMONG HIS RECORDS. LETTS WAS CERTAINLY USED IN THE PURCHASE OF HIS EXTENSIVE CLOCK COLLECTION (SEE S. WOLOHOJIAN, ED., A PRIVATE PASSION: 19TH CENTURY PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS FROM THE GRENVILLE L. WINTHROP COLLECTION, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, 2003; THE ACCOMPANYING EXHIBITION HELD AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON AND MUSEE DES BEAUX-ARTS, LYON).
CHRISTIE'S HAS SOLD A NUMBER OF SPECTACULAR 18TH CENTURY ENGLISH OBJECTS FROM GRENVILLE WINTHROP'S COLLECTION, MOST MEMORABLY: A PAIR OF MAGNIFICENT CARVED BRACKETS (23 OCTOBER 2002, LOT 25), AND A PAIR OF DOLPHIN-CARVED SERPENTINE CHESTS (13 APRIL 2000, LOT 172). THIS ESPECIALLY FINE CABINET WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE AMONG SUCH NOTABLE TREASURES AND A WONDERFUL LINK TO HIS NOTABLE CHINESE JADES AND BRONZES.
BY 1696, LACQUERED CABINETS HAD BECOME 'STATUS SYMBOLS' FOR ROYALTY AND MEMBERS OF THEIR INNER CIRCLE. WHEN INVENTORY WAS TAKEN AT THE TIME OF QUEEN MARY'S DEATH, A NUMBER OF FURNISHINGS IN THE QUEEN'S BEDCHAMBER AT KENSINGTON PALACE WERE DECORATED WITH 'INDIA JAPAN' FOR DISPLAY OF HER LARGE COLLECTION OF ORIENTAL PORCELAIN. THIS COURT FASHION WAS BROUGHT TO ITS HEIGHT IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, WHEN THIS CABINET WAS PRODUCED. THE SUPREME QUALITY OF THE JAPANNED DECORATION ON THIS CABINET EPITOMIZES THE PINNACLE OF THIS CRAFT.
APPROPRIATE FOR THE FURNISHING OF A BEDROOM APARTMENT, THIS CABINET IS A PARTICULARLY RARE AND WONDERFUL EXAMPLE RETAINING ITS ORIGINAL FINIALS, BEVELED MIRROR GLASS, TURNED FEET AND BRASSES. WHILE ITS PROMINENT GEOMETRIC BORDERS AND SCALLOPED APRON ARE QUITE EXCEPTIONAL, ONE POSSIBLE MAKER IS JOHN BELCHIER (D. 1753), OF 'THE SUN' IN ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON, WHO IS FIRST RECORDED WORKING IN 1717. OTHER CABINETS BEARING HIS LABEL FEATURE DOORS WITH SIMILAR COMPARTMENTAL VIGNETTES ON A PATTERNED GROUND; THESE INCLUDE - A GREEN-GROUND EXAMPLE (SEE C. GILBERT, ED., PICTORIAL DICTIONARY OF MARKED LONDON FURNITURE 1700-1840, 1996, P. 82, FIGS. 57-59) AND A SCARLET PEDIMENTED EXAMPLE FROM THE PLYDELL BOUVERIE FAMILY, SOLD ANONYMOUSLY, SOTHEBY'S, LONDON, 30 NOVEMBER 2001, LOT 160 (£113,500). TWO JAPANNED CABINETS SUPPLIED BY BELCHIER FOR ERDDIG CASTLE, WALES WERE DESCRIBED IN 1732 AS BEING 'IN YE GRANDST MANNER AND AFTER YE NEWEST FASHION'. ONE OF THESE, A 'RED JAPAN CABINET', LISTED IN THE 'BLEW MOHAIR' BEDROOM IN THE 1726 INVENTORY, FEATURES SIMILAR ARCH-HEADED AND MIRRORED DOORS AND FITTED INTERIOR (M. DRURY, 'EARLY EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY FURNITURE AT ERDDIG', APOLLO, JULY 1978, P. 52, PL. II).
THE UNUSUAL COMBINATION OF A SCALLOPED APRON AND BALL FEET APPEARS ON A CABINET ACQUIRED BY THE RENOWNED COLLECTOR VISCOUNT LEVERHULME (D. 1925) (P. MACQUOID AND R. EDWARDS, THE DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH FURNITURE, 1924, VOL. II, P. 124, FIG. 14 AND A. C. TAIT, 'FURNITURE AT THE LADY LEVER ART GALLERY', APOLLO, OCTOBER 1947, FIG. 7) AND ANOTHER SOLD, THE PROPERTY OF A LADY, CHRISTIE'S, LONDON, 22 APRIL 2004, LOT 60 (£ 106,050).
THE PROVENANCE
THE CABINET ONCE BELONGED TO THE FAMED COLLECTOR GRENVILLE LINDALL WINTHROP (D. 1943) WHO QUIETLY ASSEMBLED ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTIONS OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, ALONGSIDE HIS CONTEMPORARIES SUCH AS MORGAN, FRICK AND MELLON. EMBRACING EVERY CULTURE AND HISTORICAL PERIOD, WINTHROP WAS HAILED AS 'THE MOST DISCRIMINATING ECLECTIC THAT AMERICA HAS EVER KNOWN AMONGST COLLECTORS' (NEW YORK TIMES). UPON HIS DEATH, HE GAVE HIS ENTIRE ART COLLECTION, COMPRISING OVER 4,000 OBJECTS, TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND ITS MUSEUMS. UPON ANNOUNCING HIS GIFT, HE SAID 'I AM NOT SO MUCH INTERESTED IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS I AM IN THE YOUNGER GENERATION WHOM I WANT TO TEACH IN THEIR IMPRESSIONABLE YEARS AND TO PROVE TO THEM THAT TRUE ART IS FOUNDED ON TRADITIONS AND THAT BEAUTY MAY BE FOUND IN ALL COUNTRIES AND IN ALL PERIODS, PROVIDED THE EYE CAN BE TRAINED TO FIND IT'. BORN INTO RARIFIED NEW YORK SOCIETY, HE DESCENDED FROM TWO COLONIAL GOVERNORS, JOHN WINTHROP (MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY) AND HIS SON, JOHN JR. (CONNECTICUT). HE SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH EXTRAORDINARY ART AND OBJECTS IN HIS NEW YORK TOWNHOUSE AT 15 EAST 81ST STREET AS WELL AS GROTON PLACE (FORMERLY THE ELMS), HIS SUMMER RETREAT IN LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS. THIS CABINET APPEARS IN ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS (HARVARD ART MUSEUM ARCHIVES) OF THE 81ST STREET MANSION WHERE IT FURNISHED THE BEDROOM OF GRENVILLE'S YOUNGER BROTHER, BEEKMAN - THE NEW YORK LAWYER, GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO AND LATER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. MOST EVERYTHING THAT GRENVILLE ACQUIRED WAS RECOMMENDED THROUGH HIS TRUSTED AGENT, MARTIN BIRNBAUM, WHOM HE MET IN 1914 AND WHO, IN TURN, BOUGHT LARGELY FROM PRIVATE SOURCES. WINTHROP ALSO USED SYDNEY LETTS FOR SOME OF HIS FURNITURE PURCHASES BUT THE CABINET IS NOT MENTIONED AMONG HIS RECORDS. LETTS WAS CERTAINLY USED IN THE PURCHASE OF HIS EXTENSIVE CLOCK COLLECTION (SEE S. WOLOHOJIAN, ED., A PRIVATE PASSION: 19TH CENTURY PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS FROM THE GRENVILLE L. WINTHROP COLLECTION, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, 2003; THE ACCOMPANYING EXHIBITION HELD AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON AND MUSEE DES BEAUX-ARTS, LYON).
CHRISTIE'S HAS SOLD A NUMBER OF SPECTACULAR 18TH CENTURY ENGLISH OBJECTS FROM GRENVILLE WINTHROP'S COLLECTION, MOST MEMORABLY: A PAIR OF MAGNIFICENT CARVED BRACKETS (23 OCTOBER 2002, LOT 25), AND A PAIR OF DOLPHIN-CARVED SERPENTINE CHESTS (13 APRIL 2000, LOT 172). THIS ESPECIALLY FINE CABINET WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE AMONG SUCH NOTABLE TREASURES AND A WONDERFUL LINK TO HIS NOTABLE CHINESE JADES AND BRONZES.