Large cabinet

This large cabinet in black lacquer is appliquéd with figurative scenes made of reflective shells. The inlay technique is called “flat application” (pingtuo) in which tiny pre-cut pieces of mother-of-pearl of varying thickness, forms, and sizes are carefully arranged over a lacquered surface. This ornamental technique reached its peak during the first half of the Qing dynasty, when both Manchu and Han nobility appreciated this kind of bright and shiny decoration on the furniture in their residences.

A cabinet of this kind was likely produced at a court workshop during the reign of the Kangxi emperor (1662–1722), a time of military expansion and power in China. Depicted on the two doors of this cabinet are mountain bandits paying tribute to the governmental military. The cabinet celebrates that power and wealth. The side panels of this cabinet show graceful scenes of outdoor activities, scholarly pursuits, and flower gardens. These ornamental scenes clearly conveyed a meaning of privilege and cultivation to visitors who might see them.