High chest
South Windsor, Connecticut; 1736
Soft maple, yellow pine, brass, paint
Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont 1954.0507
The painted decoration, known as “japanning,” on this high chest was inspired by Chinese export lacquerwares. Unlike other japanned furniture embellished with gold leaf and gold powder, the designs here are rendered in white paint that is now yellowed by varnish that has darkened over time.
The motifs closely resemble those embroidered on textiles worked by educated, economically privileged women of the time.
Some women also practiced the art of japanning as a pastime. Scientific analysis has revealed the name “Medow” hidden under the paint on a drawer front, deepening the mystery of who may have embellished this piece.
Conservation Details
Scanning X-ray fluorescence (XRF) maps the chemical elements associated with individual pigments and other materials used in painted surfaces. This XRF map of the high chest’s upper drawer shows the use of calcium-containing materials in the painted decoration and some hidden handwriting. Scientific analysis has revealed the name “Medow” hidden under the paint on a drawer front, deepening the mystery.
XRF made possible by the generous loan of an M6 JetStream MA-XRF from the Bruker Corporation