Join Conservator Dana as she gently opens the drawers of a special 17th century Colombian cabinet made from a rare plant resin called mopa mopa.
Using a process called Barniz de Pasto, the box has been uniquely decorated with animals and plants, wrapping around the entire surface.
- 00:00 What's special about this cabinet?
- 00:35 Previous history as a sewing box
- 01:02 How was it made? Mopa mopa buds picked, chewed, stretched
- 02:47 Opening the cabinet
- 03:50 Clues to Asian and European influence on decoration
- 05:03 Animal and plant decoration on the back, building up layers
- 06:15 Twisted worms
- 06:53 Comparing the colours before and after conservation
See the box undergoing conservation to reveal a surprise.
