Napoleon III Chinoserie Style French Rectangular Box in Papier-maché

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Napoleon III Chinoserie Style French Rectangular Box in Papier-maché

About the Item

We kindly suggest you read the whole description, because with it we try to give you detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our objects. Valuable and original French rectangular box; realized between 1870 and 1880 in Napoleon III chinoiserie style in paper-mache; the cover has been decorated by hand with a gold painting by a skilled artist and painter who has performed the representation with meticulousness and mastery taking care of the entire work in detail. The scene depicts a rural landscape where three women are harvesting mandarins (Kumquat) for the Chun Jie (Chinese New Year or Spring Festival) festivities and placing them in a basket under the tree, two seated men observe and comment on the work, while, in a nearby hut a woman plays the "sanxian" (Chinese three-stringed lute) and another follows the musical notes from a score. Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important traditional holiday in China, the date changes every year, but it is always between January 21st and February 20th; as all celebrations, of course, this one is also marked by particular eating habits, among the most rooted ones, there is the gift and the consumption of tangerines; by virtue of their shape, which resembles that of the globe, they are considered a symbol of fullness and completeness, the ideal, therefore, to wish a life full of good; as for mandarins, they are put eight on each tray, as this number symbolizes good luck. The term "chinoiserie", which derives from the French word "chinois", was a western-style born between the 17th and 18th century and denotes that chinoiserie did not come directly from Asia, but was an imaginative European interpretation of Asian culture; this style developed particularly in the decorative arts, architecture, literature, theater, and music; France was the most prolific European nation in the production of chinoiserie. The technique of "papier maché" (mixture of paper and natural glues) has been known in China since 200 BC. (Han dynasty), then spreading throughout the East; helmets, shields, ceremonial masks, boxes, and other decorative objects were built in papier maché; in Europe, it appeared around 1725, and soon this technique spread in the various European countries for the production of valuable artistic and ornamental works, in fact, in no other material have so many decorative techniques been seen and seen, as in this one, where the most refined lacquers, coatings, gildings, and paintings have their greatest expression. The reliability of papier maché creations is superior to what we can imagine, objects made 300/400 years ago in excellent condition have arrived at us! The papier maché had its greatest use from the 16th to the 20th century, particularly in France and Russia. The box is in good condition, only inside there is some imperfection, excellent condition of the painting. Measures width cm.28, depth cm.18, height cm.9. For all our shipments we use special packaging materials (wooden crates, styrofoam, etc.) for maximum protection and safety of the objects.

Dimensions:
Height: 3.55 in (9 cm)Width: 11.03 in (28 cm)Depth: 7.09 in (18 cm)
Style:
Napoleon III (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper,Other
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1870-1880
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. The box is in good condition, only inside there is some imperfection, excellent condition of the painting.
Seller Location:
Prato, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU4632225769132