Tibetan Bronze Trunk

Somebody painted a garden on this trunk, then bolted it shut with bronze.

This trunk comes from Tibet and dates to the early 19th century. It is leather with bronze fittings and paint. Painted decoration was widely prized on Tibetan furniture, where strong color often covered chests, cabinets and altars. The leather glows a deep red-brown, cross-hatched and glossy. A panel at the front shows blue-green ground with pale blossoms and gold scrolls, flanked by four engraved plaques. Pointed metal fasteners run along the seams, and a spotted panel sits on the lid. Twenty-six and a half inches wide and 18 high.

The trunk has been closed with some conviction. It also seems to enjoy being looked at.