Chinese Salon

The walls of the Chinese Salon are covered with Chinese embroidery on cherry-red silk. The same type of decoration appears on a Rococo Revival seating ensemble dating from around 1860. Another major piece is a Japanese display cabinet from the last quarter of the 19th century, finished with natural lacquer and decorated using takamakie, hiramakie and kirigane techniques.

The cabinet shows rocky landscapes, fishing villages and boats on the water. Flowers and cherry branches complete the decoration, while the door handles carry different plant or animal motifs. Even these small functional parts were incorporated into the ornamental scheme. Large Chinese decorative vases were commissioned by the former owners; their surfaces depict scenes of ancient chivalric games. The salon brings together objects ordered for a European residence and techniques developed in East Asian workshops. The cabinet contains the finest concentration of small scenes, from broad landscapes to the decoration of a single handle.