Description: William and Mary japanned high chest of drawers made by Charles Warham (1701-1779), a London-born cabinetmaker who settled in Boston before 1724 and moved to Charleston, South Carolina by 1733. He probably consigned the decoration to one of Boston's twelve known japanners (maybe Nehmiah Partridge or William Randle). The upper case has a molded flat top with the cornice projecting over the body and a curved "secret" drawer underneath the cornice; over two short drawers across and three long drawers. The lower case has mid-molding over three short drawers, over a shaped skirt and six baluster and trumpet-turned legs on ball feet. The legs are joined by flat curved stretchers in the front and sides, and a straight stretcher in the rear. The chest is japanned overall with a black ground bearing gilded gesso (composed of whiting and glue) chinoiserie scenes of exotic animals, pagodas, hunts, figures, etc. These scenes are closely spaced, in the manner of the later japanning of the 1730-1760 period usually seen on high chests with cabriole legs. Warham's name is scrawled in black paint on the back of most of drawers to distinguish the parts from other works in the shop. The japanning was conserved in 1985, a frequent fate of fragile japanning, and extensive restorations were made to the base. About 50% of the original decoration had survived on the drawer facades under later varnish and gesso, with the exception of the modern central drawer in the lower case. The remaining ornamentation on the cornice, skirt, legs, and, to a great degree, on the sides, is a later embellishment. The legs, stretchers, and backboards of the upper case are replacements. The legs are stylistically correct. The upper and lower cases were made for each other; and most of the drawers are original. This high chest has a history of ownership in the Swett family of Boston, MA.
Tags: pagodas Link to share this object record: https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+56.152 |