Investigation and Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700-1900)

A project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) allowed interdisciplinary research on the so-called “Chinese Cabinets” and the “Porcelain Room” at Schönbrunn palace in Vienna. These interiors can be considered as excellent examples of the mid-18th century taste of the Habsburg family for East Asian room decorations. The presentation of the research results from Schönbrunn formed an essential part of the second international conference “The Conservation of East Asian Cabinets in Imperial Residences (1700-1900)” now published in this volume. Enriched by contributions from international and interdisciplinary experts - conservators and art historians and natural scientists - the reflection of this special topic revealed remarkable findings on the manufacture, provenance and conservation history of porcelain, lacquerware, paper and textile wall hangings as integral parts of baroque interiors not only in Schönbrunn but also in related sites in Europe and other parts of the world.