Circular box with figures in landscape

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    Late 16th - early 17th century
  • Geography

    Anhui province, China
  • Material

    Red and black lacquer with applied gold (miaojin) on wood core
  • Dimension

    H x Diam (overall): 3.2 x 16.1 cm (1 1/4 x 6 5/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    S1987.399a-f
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_S1987.399a-f

Object Details

  • Label

    The landscape on this box is painted with different shades of gold pigment accented by black ink, creating a striking impression against the cinnabar-colored lacquer. Compositionally, the landscape resembles a round album painting. One feature of late-Ming aesthetics was frequent exchange and cross-fertilization in the arts of different media. A painting may have provided a model for this scene, which depicts a scholar seated in a round-backed chair gazing at a lofty pine tree. His servant approaches, carrying a bundle of scrolls for study.
    The interior of the box is currently outfitted with a tiny brush, an inkstone, and a water container, but these writing tools do not seem to be original to the box. Likely, they were added in Japan, attesting that many Ming dynasty lacquer objects were collected and prized in Japan. The original use of the box in China is difficult to ascertain, but it is likely that it was used to hold a large, molded ink cake (solid ink cakes were ground with water to produce liquid ink).
  • Collection

    Arthur M. Sackler Collection
  • Exhibition History

    A Collector's Cabinet (May 17 to November 1, 1998)
    The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)
  • Origin

    Anhui province, China
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
  • Type

    Container
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

    There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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