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+17th century Dutch renaissance two door portal cabinet with exotic carvings

About the Item

On offer here is a very rare Dutch cabinet made of the finest European summer oak in the tradition of the Dutch Renaissance during the “Dutch Golden Age” The cabinet was made in the Dutch province of Utrecht at the end of the 17th century, circa 1680. Its arched doors are typical for cabinets originating in this province and this type of cabinet is also known as “Utrechtse Poortkast”. Unique features of this piece are the carved parts that display a wide array of tropical plants, flowers, and birds. Species were never seen in the Netherlands or Europe at that time. Inspired by a successful trade mission to the Far East a master carpenter was commissioned to build this cabinet that would reflect the prosperity of the mission and the wealth of its owner in general. The top of the arched doors are decorated with carved C-scrolls, acanthus motifs, and tulips. The tulip refers to Tulip mania (Dutch: tulpenmanie) was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels. The major acceleration started in 1634 and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637. It is generally considered to have been the first recorded speculative bubble or asset bubble in history. Besides the expertly carved decorations, the cupboard was further enriched with ebony veneered panels adding luxury to the piece. The ebony wood was imported by the VOC from South Africa and was a real showcase for wealth as it was more expensive than gold at the time. The cabinet has the original hinges and lock. The interior houses three fixed shelves. Overall this piece of furniture is in very good antique and authentic condition with a great patina. The cabinet is 22.83 inches deep measured on the corpus. The width measured at the corpus is 63 inches. The Dutch Golden Age. The 17th century was an important century for the Netherlands. The region separated from the Spanish Empire and formed its republic. Dutch merchants established their first colonies in the Americas and opened up trade networks around the world. The Dutch economy flourished as much of Europe's trade began passing through Amsterdam. This money helped foster the arts, leading to the rise of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Rubens. This was the Dutch Golden Age. The strong Dutch economy and celebration of the arts provided financial and cultural security to inspire middle and upper-class citizens to buy lots of furniture. This was a big change from the sparsely furnished homes of medieval times. Dutch patrons demanded high-quality, comfortable, and stylish products, and furniture makers obliged. Dutch furniture of the 17th century was lighter, more comfortable, and more versatile than in many other parts of the world. A key form of Dutch furniture in the 17th century was the cabinet, a taller furniture item that had replaced ground-level medieval chests. Cabinets were essential furniture items in most Dutch homes, as well as in the Dutch colonies. Since cabinets were generally used to hold valuable items like linens or silverware, they were works of art themselves, and we see some of the most important styles of Dutch furniture applied here. Note: Ebony is a species that is restricted under the CITES law. However, in this particular cupboard, CITES documentation is not required. It therefore can be shipped across borders without problems. The three reasons for that are: 1 The ebony used is not raw but was sawn to veneer and polished to create a smooth surface. 2 The total weight of the ebony is very low because it is a very thin sheet of wood (veneer)

Dimensions:

Height: 78.94 in (200.5 cm)Width: 74.41 in (189 cm)Depth: 28.75 in (73 cm)

Style:

Renaissance (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Ebony,Oak,Carved,Polished,Stained,Veneer

Place of Origin:

Netherlands

Period:

Late 17th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1680