A pantry is a cabinet with doors and shelves or shelves.
A cupboard is a type of furniture that is used for storing different items. It is a wardrobe that has doors and shelves or shelves , and is usually installed in a hole made in a wall.
For example: «We have to go to the market urgently! There is nothing left in the cupboard» , “We need to buy a cupboard to store the noodles, preserves and other foods” , “Please hand me the box of rice that is in the cupboard” .
It should be noted that alacena is a word of Arabic origin, since it derives from al-hizanah (which can be translated as " closet " ).
History of the cupboard
The characteristics of cupboards have changed throughout history . Originally, cupboards were developed in holes in the walls that were protected with doors. Over time, the division of the cupboard into two sections became common: a closet closed at the bottom, with doors, and a sideboard in the upper sector with open shelves.
Nowadays, cupboards are usually built with wood . Its doors can be glazed so that it is possible to see inside without having to open them. The height , the number of doors and shelves and the design of the cupboards are very variable.
In some countries we can emphasize that alacena is commonly used as a synonym for pantry , fresher or vasar . However, in others all these terms are clearly differentiated.
The pantry is usually located in the kitchen.
Its use
Typically, the pantry is located in the kitchen of the house as it allows you to store food, cutlery, glasses, cups, tablecloths and napkins, among other items that are used at mealtime.
For this same reason, this piece of furniture can also be placed in the dining room , when the dimensions of the room allow it.
Cupboard in art
Cupboards have always been so important in homes and especially in kitchens, that we can find them reflected in a long list of pictorial works, for example. Some of these tables are the following:
- «Cupboard» . It is a painting from 1610 that was made by the German Georg Flegel , who is considered the first painter in his country specialized in what is known as still lifes. This painting is currently part of the collection of the National Gallery in Prague .
- «Still life with food» . This painting dates back to 1602 and belongs to the Spanish author Juan Sánchez Cotán , known for works such as "Still Life of the Thistle" and "Still Life of Hunting, Vegetables and Fruits" . This painting can be admired today in the Prado Museum .
- «Cupboard» . This painting, which dates back to 1769 and is the work of Antonio Pérez de Aguilar , is currently located in the National Gallery of Art in the city of Washington .