Red and black carved lacquer (tixi)expand_more
Gift of Ruth and Bruce Daytonexpand_more 2001.73.2a,b
A large, covered box such as this would have made a fine presentation gift in an upper-class household. It was constructed with a mesh fabric over its wooden core, then the lacquer exterior was built up through application of successive layers of black and red lacquer. Finally, it was carved in the tixi technique to reveal the three layers of black, barely visible in the red. Lacquer carved with pommel scroll motifs probably had its beginning in the late Song dynasty (1200s). It reached its greatest popularity during the Yuan (1300s) and early Ming era but continued well into the 1500s.
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know