This chest is an excellent example of an early twentieth-century lacquer box with allover mother-of-pearl decoration. The incised floral motifs filled with black ink or charcoal make the piece particularly striking. The shape, size, and compartments suggest that this chest held writing or cosmetic paraphernalia.
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Artwork Details
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나전 칠 꽃 새 벌레 무늬 함 조선 螺鈿漆 花鳥蟲文 函 朝鮮
Title:Small chest of drawers decorated with flowers, birds, and insects
Period:late Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)
Date:early 20th century
Culture:Korea
Medium:Lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl, with incised design
Dimensions:H. 11 3/8 in. (28.9 cm); W. 12 7/8 in. (32.7 cm); D. 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm)
Classification:Lacquer
Credit Line:Purchase, Seymour Fund, Mary and James G. Wallach Foundation Gift, and Friends of Korean Art Gifts, 2006
Object Number:2006.260a–g
[ Michael C. Hughes, LLC , New York, until 2006; sold to MMA]
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Birds and Flowers," November 1, 2006–April 29, 2007.
New York. 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. "Arts of Korea," June 10–October 24, 2008.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Art of Korea," July 7–November 15, 2009.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Korea," May 19–November 7, 2010.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Representation/Abstraction in Korean Art," November 23, 2010–March 20, 2011.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Korean Art," June 8–November 11, 2012.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Flora and Fauna in Korean Art," June 15, 2013–June 1, 2014.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Still Life in Korean Art," June 7, 2014–February 1, 2015.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Shell and Resin: Korean Mother-of-Pearl and Lacquer," December 13, 2021–July 5, 2022.
Michael C. Hughes, LLC. An Important Collection of Chinese, Korean and Ryukyuan Lacquer: March 2006. Exh. cat. New York: Michael C. Hughes, LLC, 2006, pp. 94–95, cat. no. 76.
Leidy, Denise Patry. Mother-of Pearl: A Tradition in Asian Lacquer. Exh. cat. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006, p. 67, cat. no. 31.
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