Incense Box (Kbako) in the Shape of Three Overlapping Jars mid-18th century Barthélémy Paviet This exquisite box was originally made in Japan in the mid-eighteenth century as an incense container. The lacquer surface is embellished with refined maki-e details, including young pine trees on the exterior of the lid and a continuous seashore on the sides with auspicious motifs. The incense box was exported to Europe either by the Dutch or through the China trade, a route similar to that taken by the Japanese lacquer boxes owned by Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793). In Paris, the small box was turned into a jewel-like object by Barthélémy Paviet, who applied gilded mounts over the rims and lined the inside with a gold-like metal sheet.. Incense Box (Kbako) in the Shape of Three Overlapping Jars. Barthélémy Paviet (French, master 1781-after 1793). Japan and France. mid-18th century. Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamakie, hiramakie, and togidashimakie on gold ground, with gilde