A Rare and Fine Pair of Japanese Export Lacquer Portrait Medallions on Copper

Object Description

A Rare and Fine Pair of Japanese Export Lacquer Portrait Medallions on Copper Decorated in Gold Hirahaki-E and Kinji on a Roironuri Ground Depicting Roman Emperors
Lacquer, metal, gilt
Japan
Late 18th Century

Size: approx: 12cm high, 9.5cm wide – 4¾ins high, 3¾ ins wide (each)
14cm high – 5½ ins high (with ring)

Object History

Provenance:
Ex American Private collection
Ex Finch and Co
Ex Private collection

Object Literature

See: Finch and Co catalogue no. 17, item no. 37, for two other examples
Japanese Export Lacquer, 1580 – 1850, Oliver Impey & Christiaan Jorg, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2005 – Pages 49, 50, 51 and 216 for similar examples of oval medallions from the 1780s

These portrait medallions were made by Japanese craftsmen in Sasaya, Japan under the direction of the Dutch East India Company expressly for export to the European market. All executed more or less in the same style and technique, they form part of several series of portraits depicting famous historical personalities. The Japanese lacquerer finely and carefully copied prints from ‘L’Europe Illustrée’ compiled by Dreux du Radier in six volumes between 1755 and 1765 and published in Paris. It contained 593 depictions of famous people from the early Middle Ages to the mid 18th century engraved by different artists who would often use earlier prints, drawings or paintings as their models.
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has a collection of 19 medallions; some with portraits of historical figures others illustrating Roman Emperors, which is regarded as of documentary importance because of their number and that they were all acquired in 1829 as part of the Royal cabinet of curiosities of King William I in the Hague.
The Japanese export lacquer portrait medallions entering England in the 1770’s may well have influenced Josiah Wedgwood to commercially exploit their popularity and produce his own ceramic medallions of famous figures in blue jasper and black basalt ware, especially as he made a special series for the Netherlands depicting famous Dutch personalities.

Object Details