Ottoman cabinet

Ottoman cabinet

Turkey, Constantinople, 18th century

A triangular pediment cabinet with a rosette, decorated with flowers, foliage, fleurons, checkerboards and geometric friezes in white mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell veneer with a red background, opening with two leaves and three drawers, and standing on four small feet. The reverse of the leaves is also checkered. Damage, loose parts to be reattached, and missing parts. Height: 82 cm. - Width: 50.5 cm. - Depth: 35 cm Tortoiseshell inlaid decoration appeared in Ottoman art around 1560, and the combination of tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl became extremely popular around 1600. From geometric and abstract motifs, ornamentation evolved during the 18th century towards a more figurative register, notably with the appearance of floral motifs. This cabinet combines geometric checkerboard fronts on the sides and inside, with a front punctuated by abundant floral scrolls. Provenance : Jean-Charles Tauzin Collection (1889-1957) Related work : A very similar cabinet was presented at Drouot Estimations, Paris, on December 6, 2019, n°73. A cabinet with similar flowering branches is in the Royal Ontario Museum, inv. n°996.146.1. An Ottoman mother of pearl and tortoiseshell cabinet,Turkey, Constantinople,18th century