The Luso-Asian Furniture and the Renaissance Collections (Kunstkammern)

Abstract

The  study  of  furniture  as  a  collector's  phenomenon  has  yet  to  be properly explored, while being deemed secondary to other decorative arts.

There is, however, a very specific type of furniture, related to the so-called 'adventure  of  knowledge'  brought  by  the  Age  of  Discovery  that,  not only  by  this fact  but  given  the  materials  used,  its  exoticism,  the  original  character  of  its decoration,  the  methods  employed  in  its  craftsmanship,  the innovation  depicted by  its  shapes  and  forms,  the  originality  of  its  metal  fittings,  its boldness, richness,  freshness,  colour,  and  detail  deserves  to be  emphasized  from  the  rest and lacks specific treatment from the collector's point of view.

Not  only  for  these  motives,  but  also  by  its  symbolism  and  the meaning  of power and splendour that it represents, through the social and political highlight that is often attributed to its owner.

This type of furniture, even if small in size, such as small boxes, caskets or cabinets, occupies a very important part of the “Chamber of Wonders” that marks the  sixteenth  century.  Transported  in  the  ships  that  arrived  in Lisbon,  they spread  throughout  Europe  as  glorified  objects,  representing  a  New  World  that was at the reach of very few and was embedded with mysteries, with myths and legends, and often serving as proof of its existence and truth.

In order to  discuss  a  true  collector's  practice  regarding  this  kind  of furniture, the right conditions must be assured. That is: a special aptitude for its pursuit and acquisition, a noble class drawn to this class of objects, a significant offer   and   organized   production   centres, a   web   of   specialized   commerce, merchants aware of this demand, client orders and someone to orient them at the origins, and also  specialized  agents  towards  this  type  of  furniture  and  its distribution from Lisbon to the rest of Europe. Many of the  great  European  families  at  the  time  had  their  own  buyers based in Lisbon. Not having documented proof that these agents were looking for Luso-Oriental   furniture,  if   they   were   searching   for   jewellery,   bezoars  and precious stones at the Rua Novados Mercadores in Lisbon, they would certainly not  be  indifferent  to  a  tortoiseshell  casket  or  to  an  ivory  casket. Much  less  a cabinet, especially designed to keep and store these objects.

We  have  no  doubt,  given  the  number  of  these  objects  known  today, that they were heavily manufactured, mainly in the sixteenth century. Simultaneously, we do not doubt the rarity of some of these objects for the opposite reason, as they rarely, if ever, were recorded in any inventory.

We can state,  without  fear  that this  type  of  furniture  spread  through Renaissance Europe.  We find it in important European  collections, as well as in Royal  collections.  Gift  giving  of  this  type  of  objects  was  frequent amongst  noble and  royal  families,  and  the  most  eloquent  example  in  Europe  is Catherine  of Austria, Queen of Portugal.

We  have  tried  to  demonstrate  the  importance  of  the  Iberian  nook  in the genesis of the “Kunstkammern” and the great exotic collections in Renaissance Europe.