Painted Tibetan 'Dragon' Storage Chest - 18th Century

Tibetan antique furniture with original painting was always unusual to find and incredibly difficult to come by. This very decorative dragon chest is one of our favourite pieces from an excellent quality recently acquired collection.

The crimson foreground is decorated in vibrant polychrome pigments with a central quatrefoil panel enclosing a ferocious writhing dragon grasping a flaming pearl amongst scrolling leafy lotus stems, on a floral brocade pattern ground, set within cusped corner spandrels enclosing scrolling foliage, framed within a border of further floral stems.

Tibetan chests and trunks were used as storage in homes and monasteries. Boxes are normally made from cedar, pine, or poplar. If they are painted it is usually just the front and two sides. They can either be painted directly on the wood or on older pieces onto a fabric applied to the wood. The colours and designs used are very decorative.

From Tibet

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