Shrine with a painting of Holy Family with John the Baptist

Japan, late 16th century
Shrine: lacquer and gold on wood, mother-of-pearl. Painting: oil on copper
Museu des Artes Decorativas, Lisbon, Fundação Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva

Japanese lacquerware was greatly admired around the world. Luminous surfaces were often decorated with intricate patterns of gold and mother-of-pearl. This shrine encloses a Christian painting probably made at the Painting School set up by the Jesuits in Japan to produce art for the growing Christian communities in Japan and Asia.

Decorated with the Jesuit emblem on the pediment, it could have been made for a variety of clients, for example, wealthy Japanese Christians, or European or Japanese Jesuit priests. Moreover, such shrines were exported to Europe, Mexico, and the rest of Asia.