Attributed to Frans Francken the Younger

Paintings: Interior doors and drawers: There are a few small cracks, nicks and losses to the paint surface throughout that are visible on close inspection; however, these are not distracting and are concentrated mostly on the 4 paintings on the interior of the outer doors of the cabinet. The nicks seem to be located in areas that might rub or touch the interior columns and entablature during routine use. Overall, all of the panels are stable with good retention of the paint surface. Under ultraviolet, the 4 images on the interior of the doors seem to be generally well preserved. There are localized areas of retouch in the skies, and in the lower image on the left door, there a few spots visible also in the white horse. On the drawers, ultraviolet light reveals areas of retouch throughout, located mainly in the skies and backgrounds of the images. Smaller spots are also visible in some of the figures, although these are generally better preserved. On a few of the upper drawers – most notably the drawers at left center, above the central pigeonhole, and the two drawers at upper and center right – have spotty areas that have been covered in a milky varnish. This varnish does not cover the entire drawer, but seems to have been applied to specific areas, perhaps as part of an earlier restoration. The bottom drawer, representing the four elements, appears to be in good state, with a few areas of retouch visible in the skies and backgrounds. The small, central door of the pigeonhole has also been treated with a milky varnish. It appears that the temple in the background has been broadly retouched, with areas visible as well in the figures. Interior top lid: Horizontal cracks are visible to the naked eye, running the length of the painting through the center and lower portions of the work. Broad areas of repaint can be detected in the figures to the left and in areas of the drapery and background. Indeed, under ultraviolet, retouches are visible along the lines of the cracks and in broader areas in the background. The same milky, opaque varnish seen in the drawers has been applied to portions of this work. Overall, these retouches seem to have been broadly applied to address condition issues that are not unexpected from daily use and from the location of this work specifically. Overall, considering that this is a piece of furniture used for storage, it is in very good and attractive condition. Areas of retouch and paint loss to the images are consistent with those areas subjected to the most use. The painting on the interior of the lid and the central image flanked by columns would benefit from the removal of the old restoration and varnish, which could be more thoughtfully readdressed. Taken as a whole, the paintings are in good state and present well in their current condition. Cabinet: Exterior: On all sides, minor hairline cracks are visible in the wood due to age and dryness, and the lid is missing a small piece of framing from the outer rim. Overall there are a few minor scratches due to use, which would respond well to restoration. The handles appear to be re-lacquered and there are a few small dents to the wood surrounding them. Interior: On the inside of the lid there are a few minor scratches and some staining that appear to be the result of use. The interior of the left door is missing two parts of its framing, and a small piece of veneer is missing from the top of the left door as well. The back interior side of the large bottom drawer has three small re-veneered areas. The bottom left undecorated drawer on the interior of the pigeonhole is missing two parts of its framing. Base: The base table, which is later in date, has small hairline cracks throughout due to dryness. Overall, there are a few small scratches due to use. The cabinet and its base are generally in very good and attractive condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This attractive and intricately decorated cabinet is an excellent example of the highly skilled cabinetry that flourished in seventeenth-century Antwerp. Cabinets such as these functioned as decorative objects which could simultaneously allow wealthy patrons to display various prized objects, as well as store any personal documents in one of the numerous drawers. Cabinets constructed at this time were made from a variety of woods for both functional and aesthetic purposes, with the most highly prized being ebony. As a very rare material, cabinet makers would often use ebony only sparingly, typically as a veneer, as is the case with the present example. 

As their popularity grew, so too did their decoration and soon, cabinet makers were employing skilled painters to complete their creations with small pictures. Often times, artists would execute compositions with recurrent themes. In this case, scenes from the life of Esther are illustrated, though in another cabinet of a similar construction, sold New York, Sotheby's, 26 January 2006, lot 122, all eleven panels were decorated with scenes from Ovid's Metamorphoses.