LACQUER BOX
This box shows two men in a garden. The man holding a scepter in his hand is likely teaching the other and is perhaps telling the secrets of how to attain immortality. The crane in the sky flying toward them signifies longevity and honor. The carved lacquer technique is difficult and time-consuming to achieve.
This box was made for the imperial court. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, in the fourteenth to nineteenth centuries, images of cranes were worn by officials at the top level of civil service. Cranes are associated with wisdom. They are often shown with sages (wise men) in Daoist art. Daoism is a practice that emerged in China.
Object Number
F1953.64a–b
Date
1403–24, Ming dynasty
Place of Origin
China
Medium
Carved red lacquer (tihong) on wood core
Dimensions
H × W: 7.9 × 26.6 cm
(3 1/8 × 10 1/2 in.)
Credit line
Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment