Tibetan Red & Gold Blossom Cabinet

This early 20th century cabinet is brightly painted in the Sino-Tibetan style with lush florals and botanical scrollwork. Brushed by hand in an upbeat palette of golden yellow, red-orange, green and navy blue, the painted design imparts a charming, folk art aesthetic that is at once traditional and timeless.

The front consists of six inset panels, each painted with a round medallion of leaves, buds and stylized peony blossoms in red, orange and white. Universal symbols of love and beauty, flowers are prominent motifs in Tibetan art and are often imaginative hybrids of various blooms, most commonly of peonies and chrysanthemums. The full flowers are surrounded by painted geometric scrollwork and a raised frame decorated with botanical motifs.

For use as a sideboard or buffet, the cabinet's originally closed front has been modified to open by four small, front-facing doors, revealing two interior compartments. The back, sides and top of the chest have been left undecorated, textured with chisel marks and a century-old patina.