AN HISPANO-COLONIAL BARNIZ DE PASTO TABLE CABINET WITH THE 'IHS' CHRISTOGRAM
Possibly Mexico or Colombia, Colonial Hispano-America, 17th - 18th century

Of rectangular shape, resting on a flat base, the hinged lid designed as the top of money coffers with iron mounts on the corners and top, the cabinet painted in white, polychromes and lacquered, the decoration gently raised and featuring a variety of vegetal and zoomorphic motifs like sea snakes with dragon faces, storks, herons, and other spotted birds, all amidst lush foliage and stylised vegetal arabesque medallions, on the sides two large circular medallions with the typical Christogram 'IHS', a contraction of the Greek word for Jesus spelled IHΣΟΥΣ, surmounted by the omega Ω sign, the last letter of the Greek alphabet and another clear Christian symbol representing God as featured in the Book of Revelation in the Bible, the interior divided into two parts with a wooden divider in the middle, the front now missing leaving three drawers in clear sight, the drawers decorated with a diamond-shaped grid pattern, 24.5cm x 40.5cm x 29cm.

Dimensions: 24.5cm x 40.5cm x 29cm