Japanese export laquer sewing table after a European Biedermeier example
H. 73 x W. 43 cm
Provenance:
The scene on the lid of this sewing table depicts the Grote Markt in Bergen op Zoom, with a central view of the Sint-Gertrudiskerk, a Roman Catholic church whose tower is locally known as "De Peperbus." The depiction, executed in finely cut mother-of-pearl inlay, is based on a Dutch print, likely from the late 18th or early 19th century, and rendered against a painted brown lacquer background with stylised clouds. Below the lid, a gathered burgundy silk pouch serves as a practical element for storing sewing tools or threads.
Works such as this were produced in port cities like Nagasaki or Kyoto during the Edo period, where Japanese artisans adapted their craft to meet the demand for luxurious and exotic goods in Western markets.
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