A Nanban chest

This chest, following the contemporary Portuguese arched chests called “Bau”, is coated in black urushi lacquer and decorated in gold with mother-of-pearl inlays, with gilt, cut-out and chiseled metal mounts. This dome-shaped chests were exported to Europe, following the Portuguese 16th century prototypes which arrived from Portuguese ships. The dome-shaped lid, innovative in the East, should be emphasized, a shape which the Japanese call 'fish or hedgehog-shaped lid'.

Albeit extremely identical to smaller-sized contemporary examples, this namban chest features two handles, one on each side, in opposition to the single top handle, most commonly found on these pieces.

The profuse decoration in gold, silver and mother-of-pearl spans across all sides of the chest – front, back, top and flanks. Separated and defined only by small borders of scrolling folliage, the rich composition is composed of seven different floral motifs, with the Japanese Camellia identified on the lid, the Paulownia featured on the lid and repeated on the front panel, the Calabash depicted on the back panel as well on the interior of the lid, the Clematis and Pine on the left flank, and the maple and Japanese clover on the right flank. Complementing the dense floral composition, two large birds flying are reproduced on the on the lid and on the front panel.

The brass mounts, a squared lock and latch, the two side handles with button-shaped flaps, as well as the protective corners, are engraved with flowers and interlacing tendrils. The articulate lid opens with the help of two hinges. The feet of this chest, four hollow spheres are made in copper plate, and not in iron plate as one would typically found on pieces of this size.

This Namban chest is a fine and curious example of the influence that Portuguese art had on Japanese furniture, and was most probably commissioned for the European market as a marriage chest.