LOUIS VUITTON has produced a special trunk of Johannes Vermeer's world-famous masterpiece painting, "The Milkmaid," for the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in conjunction with the "Vermeer Exhibition," which is running until February 3, 2019, at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo. The trunk will be on display at the Louis Vuitton Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi store, which reopened on October 10.
"The Milkmaid" is an oil painting by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer and is considered one of the most important paintings in the Rijksmuseum's collection. It depicts a woman engrossed in pouring milk, and everything seems to stand still, except for the milk itself. Louis Vuitton was recently commissioned by the Rijksmuseum to create a trunk to safely transport Vermeer's masterpiece, "The Milkmaid," from Amsterdam to Japan.
The special trunk was meticulously crafted by skilled artisans in Louis Vuitton's historic atelier in Asnières, France. The iconic Monogram canvas is accented with the Maison's signature brass corner fittings and lock. The trunk's exterior is hand-painted with stripes, while the lining is a vibrant yellow, evoking the colors featured in the artwork.
Louis Vuitton has created many custom cases for the world's most precious objects. In 1924, Louis Vuitton commissioned a trunk for French art dealer René Gimpel to enable him to travel the world and showcase masterpieces to his clients. Since then, the company has been commissioned by clients around the world to create cases that optimally protect and transport artworks and art supplies.
Michael Burke, Chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, said, "Louis Vuitton has always supported the journeys of great pioneers and artists who break new ground. With an unwavering passion for creation, Louis Vuitton has always supported art and cultural heritage. We are honored to have been able to create this special case to safely protect and transport works that are considered to be the greatest masterpieces of all time."
