Chinese Lacquerware
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Box with Eight Treasures and the Character for "Spring"
China, Qing dynasty, 18th century (Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei)UpcomingAsian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 9
September 15, 2026 (Tue) - November 29, 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 | ||
| Box with a Pine, Bamboo, and Plum Tree, Lacquer coating inlaid with lacquer | China | Ming dynasty, Xuande era (1426–1435) | TH-387 | ||||
| Double-Diamond-Shaped Box with Scene of Children Playing | China | Ming dynasty, Jiajing era (1522–1566) | TH-510 | ||||
| Highlight | Tray with Dragons | China | Ming dynasty, 1585 | Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige, TH-347 | |||
| Highlight | Box with Eight Treasures and the Character for "Spring" | China | Qing dynasty, 18th century | Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei, TH-84 |