Fine Art

Secretary — History & Facts

Many desks of this type, veneered with light-coloured woods, were made in the Netherlands. This example is unusual for its large plaquettes of jasperware, a fine-grained pottery that imitates carved stone. The plaquettes came from the factory of Josiah Wedgwood in England.

Wedgwood stoneware was very popular in the Netherlands. Perhaps this secretary served as a showpiece for Wedgwood’s agent in Amsterdam.

More Artworks by Unknown Artist

A scene depicting two figures in an interior setting from the 'Yadorigi' chapter of The Tale of Genji.

The Tale of Genji Scroll: Yadorigi

Unknown Artist

A dynamic scene depicting figures on a shore gesturing towards a floating granary above the water.

Legends of Mount Shigi: The Flying Granary

Unknown Artist

A chaotic scene depicting an assault on the Sanjō Palace with armed figures and burning architecture.

Night Attack on the Sanjō Palace

Unknown Artist

A colorful hanging scroll depicting the Womb World Mandala with a central Buddha figure surrounded by deities.

Womb World Mandala (Mandala of the Two Realms)

Unknown Artist

Musicians and elegantly dressed figures occupy a shallow foreground against a gold-leaf background in the Hikone Screen.

Hikone Screen

Unknown Artist

A folio from the Blue Qur'an featuring gold Kufic script on indigo-dyed parchment.

Folio from the Blue Qur'an

Unknown Artist

A funeral procession with Isfandiyar's body on a golden bier, surrounded by mourners in flowing robes.

The Funeral of Isfandiyar (Great Mongol Shahnama)

Unknown Artist

The Ideal City

The Ideal City

Unknown Artist

The Wilton Diptych features a kneeling king presented by saints on the left and the Virgin Mary with angels on the right.

The Wilton Diptych

Unknown Artist

A knight in full armor rides a horse through a rocky landscape accompanied by a skeletal figure holding an hourglass, a horned creature, and a running dog.

Ridder, Dood en Duivel

Unknown Artist

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More Decorative Art Art

Calligraphy by Dong Qichang, gold medium, featuring elegant strokes and fluid characters.

Calligraphy

Dong Qichang

Cong, a jade decorative piece by Unknown Artist

Cong

Unknown Artist

Horn hair comb by René Lalique featuring intricate viburnum vines.

Haarkam in de vorm van twee takken Viburnum

René Lalique

Cabinet by André-Charles Boulle, wood, featuring floral marquetry and gilt-bronze details.

Cabinet

André-Charles Boulle

Ceramic teabowl with a 'hare's fur' glaze by unknown artist

Teabowl with a 'hare's fur' glaze

Unknown Artist

Abstract botanical design in color lithograph by Alphonse Mucha

Abstract design based on flowers and leaves

Alphonse Mucha

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