Box with Pommel Scroll Design
The lush spirals carved into the lacquer illustrate a design commonly known as “pommel scroll” because the bracket-like shapes resemble the pommel of a Chinese sword. This motif was popular in lacquer, ceramics, and metalwork in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and remained so in carved lacquer, as both a primary subject and as a decorative embellishment, for centuries.
Artwork Details
- 元 朱面剔犀劍環紋漆盒
- Title: Box with Pommel Scroll Design
- Period: Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)
- Date: 14th century
- Culture: China
- Medium: Carved red and black lacquer
- Dimensions: H. 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm); Diam. 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm)
- Classification: Lacquer
- Credit Line: Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015
- Object Number: 2015.500.1.15a, b
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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ca. 13th–early 14th century
14th century
14th century
14th century
Attributed to Zhang Cheng (active mid-14th century)
mid-14th century
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