Korean Lacquered Wood and Mother of Pearl Inlay Chest, Joseon Dynasty, 19th c

The small accessory chest crafted from precious keyaki wood, lacquered and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The chest of near cube shape is raised on a square platform with bracket feet and features four deep drawers, the fronts of which are all inlaid with fine mother-of-pearl designs and mounted with brass pulls. The corners with further brass mounts.

The top drawer features two scenes. The left scene with a pair of mandarin ducks swimming amongst various aquatic plants. The right scene with a pair of long legged birds with long tails in a lush setting. One bird missing, the tail of their other bird partially missing. A single brass pull in the form of a bat.

The central two drawers feature a geometric diaper ground in a pattern often associated with hemp leaves. In this case, the central motif can also be interpreted as the Chinese character for rice. Each drawer with a brass pull in the shape of a peach.

The lower drawer with a pair of long tailed birds and large floral and foliate sprays. The single brass pull in the form of a bat.

This chest is full of symbolism. The wood used, keyaki, or Japanese elm, is considered a sacred tree in Korea, associated with protection. The pairs of birds are symbols of fidelity and marital happiness. Rice symbolizes prosperity, while the hemp leaf pattern offers protection. In Chinese, the word bat is a synonym for fortune, with the symbolism carrying over to Korea. The peach is a symbol of longevity.

Taken all together, this chest offers the owner wishes for protection, a long life, good fortune, and a happy marriage.