Chinese Lacquerware
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Foliate Spittoon, China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th century
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 9
July 2, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (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 | Foliate Spittoon | China | Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th century | TH-498 | |||
| Highlight | Box with Figures and a Pavillion in a Landscape | China | Yuan dynasty, 14th century | TH-300 | |||
| Highlight | Box with Pommel Scrolls and Auspicious Calligraphy | China | Ming dynasty, 17th century | TH-58 |