Box with Pommel Scrolls, China, Yuan dynasty, 14th century
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 9
June 8, 2021 (Tue) - September 5, 2021 (Sun)
Lacquer is the sap of the lacquer tree, which grows in East and Southeast Asia. Naturally sticky, it can be brushed onto different materials, and hardens into a durable coating that is waterproof and resistant to acids, alkalis, and heat.
The history of lacquerware in China dates back to the Neolithic period. Over the past 7,000 years, a number of ornate decorative techniques have grown out of Chinese innovations, including: built-up layers of lacquer that are then carved, mother-of-pearl inlay, incised lines of gold, and a special type of decorative inlay made up of different colors of lacquer and outlined in incised lines.
Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
Highlight | Box with Pommel Scrolls | China | Yuan dynasty, 14th century | TH-50 | |||
Highlight | Box with Auspicious Sacred Treasures and the Chinese Character for "Spring" | China | Qing dynasty, 18th century | Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei, TH-84 |