Chinese Lacquerware
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Tray with Pommel Scrolls
China, Southern Song dynasty, 12th–13th century (Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Sackler)Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 9
June 23, 2026 (Tue) - September 13, 2026 (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 | Tray with Pommel Scrolls | China | Southern Song dynasty, 12th–13th century | Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur M. Sackler, TH-376 | |||
| Highlight | Foliate Spittoon | China | Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th century | TH-498 | |||
| Highlight | Box with an Image of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering | China | Qing dynasty, 18th century | TH-92-1 |