Lot 3
An ebony cabinet, with rectangular lifting top with mirror, with a concave frieze above two panelled cupboard doors, enclosing a fitted interior of ten short drawers and one cupboard door enclosing a mirrored interior with ebony and ivory floor and walls with Tuscan columns. This all above a long drawer with lock and ivory lock-plate on a plinth base. The short drawers all with ivory knobs and all cupboard doors with lock and ivory lock-plate.
The cabinet 17th century, the ebonised stand with four spiral twisted legs probably 19th century.
Key included.
H. 57.3 x W. 55.5 x D. 34 cm (closed cabinet)
H. 70.4 cm (stand)
The inside of the lid and the doors, as well as the ten short drawers and cupboard door, are depicting scenes from the Life of Christ in oil on panel:
The lid: Saint Peter and Saint John the Baptist
The left door: The Baptism of Christ
The right door: Parable of the Sower
The central door: The Return of the Holy family from Egypt
The drawers from left to right and from top to bottom:
Christ Healing the Woman with the Issue of Blood
Christ and the Woman of Samaria
Christ as the Good Shepherd
Christ on his way to Emmaus
Noli me tangere
The Calling of Saint Peter
Christ healing the Blind Man
The Good Samaritan
The Flight into Egypt
The Temptation of Christ
Provenance:
Auction Christie's Amsterdam, 6 May 1998, lot 109 (incl. invoice)
Private collection, the Netherlands
N.B.:
As pointed out by R. Fabri, "De 17de-eeuwse Antwerpse Kunstkast: Typologische en Historische Aspecten" in Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, 1991, the production of such cabinets began circa 1620 in Antwerp. They were meant to be placed on a table, usually draped with a thick rug, in the reception room of city mansions. Contemporary painted interiors show that these were display pieces, with the doors permanently open. They were usually centrally placed, against the wall opposite to the entrance door or near the chimney. Often a mirror was placed behind, to heighten the decorative effect. Also it would be placed in such a way that sunlight would fall onto and radiate from the mirrored centre, which was therefore called the prospektiefke. The cabinets were used to house collections of jewellery, silver, minerals, shells and other specimen; on the top a crucifix, a clock or porcelain was sometimes displayed. The same author, in an article of 1993 in Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, points out that for the painted decoration of the drawers, specialised studios were commissioned. These have been rarely identified, because of the lack of signed works.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
Shipping
Auction House will help arrange shipment, at buyer's expense
AAG Auctioneers
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to [bp]% and any applicable taxes and shipping.