CIRCA 1660, THE STAND LATER

The present lot is a stunning example of the embroidery traditions of the 17th century. Worked in stark ebony, this austere cabinet opens to a spectacular interior display. This type is more typically decorated with painted panels, such as those found in a cabinet decorated with episodes from Genesis, Antwerp, circa 1640 at the Rijksmuseum (BK-NM-4789); see also Christie's, London, 10 December 2003, lot 1 (£89,250). In this example, we find various types of luxury materials and advanced stitches that signify an immensely skilled artisan. The faces of each central drawer feature a variety of techniques including painted silk backing and raised work embroidery. Sometimes called ‘stumpwork’, raised embroidery is worked over top of a raised or padded section, providing a three-dimensional element which allows the creator the ability to separate the background, middle ground and foreground of an image. Short and long stitches have been used to create texture such as feathers on exotic birds, pebbles beneath a lizard’s feet, and languid waves around a seahorse. Gold and silver filé, now tarnished with time, would have shone brightly as these threads were created by wrapping extremely fine lengths of silver and gold around a base silk thread. Furthermore, the exotic creatures and landscapes signal the imaginative and curious nature of the worker. The flanking panels of the doors and contained within the top are less fantastical, but no less skilled. The extremely delicate stitching of polychrome silk floss on a delicate silk ground is worked expertly, incorporating shading and fluidity in the sumptuous floral still lives so often admired by Dutch painters.

It is almost certain that the needlework affixed to this piece was created by a woman. While sewing skills were essential for women of any class, fine embroidery with costly materials was part of the education for women in the highest classes. Girls started their needlework lessons as young as 6, working first on ‘samplers’, which helped them to practice a variety of basic techniques. The creation of embroidery for the purpose of mounting onto a casket or workbox came after many years of practice and could serve as a capstone upon completion of their education. These cabinets would contain drawers for sewing and writing materials, and sometimes included secret compartments for jewelry or other valuables. There are several smaller examples of this at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (T.6-1926), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (39.13.3a–k) and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (BK-KOG-2443).