Floral scrolls consisting of delicate leaves and chrysanthemum-like petals are ubiquitous in Korean lacquers dating to the Koryô dynasty, an aristocratic age noted for its elegant artistic traditions. The scrolls on this tray follow that tradition but are distinguished from those on earlier pieces by the use of pearl shell, rather than silver or brass wire, for depicting the stems. This tray, which is comparable to one in the Tokyo National Museum, is among the few Korean examples that can be dated to the beginning of the subsequent Chosôn dynasty.
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나전 칠 넝쿨 무늬 꽃 모양 반 조선 螺鈿漆唐草文菱花形盤 朝鮮
Title:Ogival tray decorated with floral scroll
Period:Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
Date:15th–16th century
Culture:Korea
Medium:Lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl
Dimensions:H. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm); W. 12 in. (30.5 cm); L. 17 3/8 in. (44.1 cm);
Classification:Lacquer
Credit Line:Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015
Accession Number:2015.500.3.9
[ Klaus F. Naumann , Tokyo, until 1990; sold to Irving]; Florence and Herbert Irving , New York (1990–2015; donated to MMA)
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "East Asian Lacquer from the Florence and Herbert Irving Collection," November 22, 1991–February 23, 1992.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Korea," January 14, 2005–October 29, 2006.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Birds and Flowers," November 1, 2006–April 29, 2007.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Mother-of-Pearl: A Tradition in Asian Lacquer," December 2, 2006–April 1, 2007.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Buddhist Paintings from the Koryō Dynasty (918–1392)," May 8–October 22, 2007.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Maebyông," October 30, 2007–March 3, 2008.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Art of Korea," July 7–November 15, 2009.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Contemplations on the Moon Jar," November 16, 2009–April 25, 2010.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Korea," May 19–November 7, 2010.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Korea: 100 Years of Collecting at the Met," February 7, 2015–March 27, 2016.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Expressions of Nature in Korean Art," April 2–September 18, 2016.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Essential Korea," June 7, 2018–November 14, 2021.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Shell and Resin: Korean Mother-of-Pearl and Lacquer," December 13, 2021–July 5, 2022.
Watt, James C. Y., and Barbara Brennan Ford. East Asian Lacquer: The Florence and Herbert Irving Collection. Exh. cat. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1991, pp. 312–313, cat. no. 152.
Landman, Neil H., Paula M. Mikkelsen, Rüdiger Bieler, and Bennet Bronson. Pearls: A Natural History. Exh. cat. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in association with the American Museum of Natural History, 2001, p. 125.
Leidy, Denise Patry. Mother-of Pearl: A Tradition in Asian Lacquer. Exh. cat. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006, p. 59, cat. no. 14.
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