Chinese Lacquerware
-
Box with a Scene of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, China, Ming dynasty, 15th–16th century
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 9
September 26, 2023 (Tue) - December 24, 2023 (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 it 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 (ca. 10,000–2100 BC). Over the millennia, a number of decorative techniques evolved in China, including lacquer relief carving and lacquer with incised lines filled with gold leaf. Chinese lacquerware frequently feature abstract spiral patterns (called “pommel scrolls”) or pictorial scenes of landscapes, flowers, birds, pavilions, and people.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Box with a Scene of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering | China | Ming dynasty, 15th–16th century | TH-462 | |||
| Highlight | Food Box with Pavilions and Figures | China | Ming dynasty, 15th–16th century | TH-412 |