Lacquer dish with birds and camellia

Object Details

• Label

  The design of two long-tailed birds in flight among oversized camellia flowers was one of the most popular motifs for lacquer ware during the fourteenth century. Typical of the period, the picture on this dish was carved with relatively little use of overlapping forms, and much of the ground is exposed between the generously spaced motifs. This use of open space in designs was superceded at the beginning of the next century by a preference for denser compositions. Note the delicately incised strokes that add subtle textures to the bird-and-flower motifs.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

  Pavilions and Immortal Mountains: Chinese Decorative Art and Paintings (September 28, 1987 to February 28, 1988)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1400s, 1200s

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Animals, Camellia, Chinese Art, Lacquer, Birds, Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368), Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)