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This container is the earliest example of an object made of lacquer and mother-of-pearl in the Museum's collection, and one of the few known examples that can be dated to the 12th century. It was once part of a larger set of matching pieces intended to hold incense or, possibly, cosmetics. Small pieces of mother-of-pearl have been used to create the petals and leaves of the wild chrysanthemums that decorate the surface as well as the delicate pearl borders that outline the box. The peonies on the top are made from slivers of tortoise shell, which were colored with pigment before being inlaid on the surface, a technique that can be traced to the 8th century. The use of twisted wires to define the top and edges of the box can often be seen in Korean and Chinese lacquers dating from the 12th to the 14th century.
The complexity of the composition on the lid and the use of numerous, minute pieces of pearl shell to define the figures' clothing, the railings, and the bridge, as well as the trunks and foliage of the trees date this box to the mid-14th or early 15th century. Three Chinese characters incised on a rectangular piece of pearl shell in the upper right-hand corner identify the scene on the lid as the tao yu dong or "peach blossom grotto." See a detail of this inscription. This is a reference to a famous poem by Tao Qian (365–427), which describes the travels of a fisherman who enters such a grotto to find a Shangri La–like world on the other side. As is invariably the case with such magical realms, once the fisherman leaves, he is never able to return.
Flowering plums and sparrows, a popular theme in the painting of the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), continued for centuries as a motif in lacquer, particularly works inlaid with pearl shell. The style of Southern Song painting, which balances a delicate composition against empty space, is also often reflected in lacquer. The depiction of the plum blossoms, which range from buds to flowers in full bloom, derives from the influential Meihua Xishen pu, or Manual of Plum Blossom Likeness, written by the artist Song Boren in the mid-13th century, which discusses and illustrates the different stages in the life of a plum blossom.
The theme of children, particularly boys, which can be traced to the Song period, is often found in Chinese decorative arts dating from the 12th to the 18th century. It is an auspicious motif emblematic of the desire for progeny and the wealth, in various forms, that is represented by children. One of the two lively fellows in the center of this small plate is riding a hobbyhorse; the other plays a drum. Sprigs of bamboo, plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum—possibly allusions to the four seasons—decorate the border.
Floral scrolls consisting of delicate leaves and chrysanthemum-like petals are ubiquitous in the decoration of Korean lacquers dating to the Kory� dynasty (918–1392), an aristocratic age noted for its elegant artistic traditions. The scrolls on this ogival tray follow that tradition but are distinguished from earlier pieces by the use of pearl shell rather than silver or brass wire for depicting the stems. This tray, which is comparable to an example in the Tokyo National Museum, is one of the few Korean examples that can be dated to the beginning of the subsequent Chos�n dynasty (1392–1910).
This box was used to hold paper and other writing supplies. The floral scrolls decorating the surface consist of three different types of flowers and acanthus-like leaves that are characterized by their upturned edges. Traditional techniques were used in the decoration: fragments of pearl shell of different sizes were joined together to form the flowers and leaves, and, as was common, incisions further articulate the motifs. On the other hand, the patterns of cracks on the larger pieces of mother-of-pearl, created before they were inlaid into the lacquer background, are unusual and appear to be distinctive to Korean lacquer. Development of this technique may have been inspired by the crazing (fine and random cracking of the surface) often found in ceramics produced in China and Korea, particularly green-glazed or celadon wares.
Boxes and other objects covered with a lacquer-like substance known as mastic and decorated with mother-of-pearl were produced in Gujarat in western India in the late 16th and 17th century. These objects were created for domestic consumption and for trade with centers in the Ottoman Empire (1299–1922) and in Europe. The box is covered with a dense floral scroll with small flowers and thin leaves. This design, which derives from artistic traditions that developed in Central Asia during the rule of the Timurids (ca. 1370–1507), was influential in India and the Middle East. The Persian verses found in the cartouches on the sides and top of the box refer to the art of calligraphy, a skill that was expected of young men and women in the Islamic world.
This coffer was made of wood overlaid with thick pieces of pearl shell to create a design of trees against a background of scrolling leaves. This background illustrates the longstanding importance of artistic traditions developed in Central Asia during the Timurid dynasty (ca. 1370–1507). The geometric treatment of the trees, on the other hand, typifies the taste of the Mughals, descendants of the Timurids who established an empire that controlled northern India for centuries. (Shah Jahan [r. 1628–58], the third Mughal emperor, remains famous as the patron who commissioned the Taj Mahal.) Although the use of mother-of-pearl may have been known earlier in India, this artistic tradition flourished in western India during the Mughal dynasty (1526–1707), when items were produced for both domestic use and export.
Although mother-of-pearl and lacquer may have been combined in Thailand as early as the 9th century, little material remains that predates the move of the capital to Bangkok in 1767. Architectural elements, furniture, and containers of various sorts were made in the 18th and 19th centuries for use at the court, in temples, and as diplomatic gifts.
The shape of this box indicates that it held Buddhist texts written and illustrated on the long rectangular leaves of a certain type of palm, a format that can be traced to 11th- and 12th-century India. The lushness of the scrolling flora, created with small pieces of mother-of-pearl, and the skillful use of the pink and green tones in the shell are typical of works made in Thailand in the late 18th century.
Screens such as this one, made of wood and decorated with lacquer and pearl shell (and, in some cases, oil paint and semiprecious stones), were produced for domestic use and for trade with Europe, where they are often known as Coromandel screens. The term is a reference to the mistaken perception that the screens were produced on the eastern coast of India, and not in China.
This screen is the left-hand panel of a two-panel screen. See an image of both screens side by side. The decorative motif of palace women enjoying a spring day can be traced to the art of the 12th century. The women represent the court ladies of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), one of the great empires of Chinese history. The women shown here, who have thin figures and thick hair and wear elaborate clothing, belong to a tradition established by Qiu Ying (1494–1552), an important figure painter during the Ming dynasty, who may also have been familiar with the art of lacquer. The painting depicts a romanticized world in which elegant and beautifully dressed women spend their time playing music, dancing, chatting, and otherwise enjoying their surroundings. This theme, frequently found in the imagery of such screens, reflects both the antiquarian interest that marked the period and the opulent lifestyles of the aristocrats and wealthy merchants who commissioned them.
This screen is the right-hand panel of a two-panel screen. See an image of both screens side by side. Screens such as this one, made of wood and decorated with lacquer and pearl shell (and, in some cases, oil paint and semiprecious stones), were produced for domestic use and for trade with Europe, where they are often known as Coromandel screens. The term is a reference to the mistaken perception that the screens were produced on the eastern coast of India, and not in China.
The decorative motif of palace women enjoying a spring day can be traced to the art of the 12th century. The women represent the court ladies of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220), one of the great empires of Chinese history. The women shown here, who have thin figures and thick hair and wear elaborate clothing, belong to a tradition established by Qiu Ying (1494–1552), an important figure painter during the Ming dynasty, who may also have been familiar with the art of lacquer. The painting depicts a romanticized world in which elegant and beautifully dressed women spend their time playing music, dancing, chatting, and otherwise enjoying their surroundings. This theme, frequently found in the imagery of such screens, reflects both the antiquarian interest that marked the period and the opulent lifestyles of the aristocrats and wealthy merchants who commissioned them.
Examples of items with mother-of-pearl and ivory dating to the 18th and 19th centuries are known in both China and India, and it seems likely that the two materials were combined even earlier.
In Chinese art, ducks, particularly in pairs, function as symbols of marital bliss. It is possible that this charming pair was once a wedding gift or part of a woman's dowry. The backs of the ducks conceal carefully made covers that could be removed to store incense or some other easily dispensed substance. A four-character inscription incised onto plaques of pearl shell on the back of the covers indicates that the pair was produced at the court during the reign of the Qianlong emperor.
The size, the geometric motifs on the borders, and the extensive use of pearl shell indicate that this tray was intended for trade to Europe. The decoration, however, derives from classic Japanese literature, specifically, the Tale of Genji. Written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu and often cited as the first psychological novel in world literature, the book traces the tumultuous life and dramatic loves of Genji, a distant member of the royal family who spent much of his life as a commoner. The massive work is divided into 54 chapters and contains more than 400 characters.
The scene on the tray illustrates a moment in chapter 16 when Genji (seated in the carriage and not visible) passes by a former lover while they are both traveling. Both are assailed by memories as they glimpse each other in passing.
As is typical in Japanese lacquer, small pieces of pearl shell, found on the edges of the spokes of the wheel, are used to enhance the brilliant gold and silver surface of this writing box. The combination of a bridge, swirling waves, and a water wheel specifies the imagery on the box as an allusion to Uji, a scenic area several miles south of Kyoto. Uji, the site of a famous river, and noted for its natural beauty, is extolled in Japanese poetry as early as the ninth century. Uji is also the setting for the last ten chapters in the classic Tale of Genji, in which Genji's son and grandson, who are rivals in love, become the primary protagonists of the epic.
Pearl shell and tin have been inlaid on the sprinkled gold (makie) background of this box. The latter is decorated with a pear skin (nashiji) background and, in some areas, with sprinkled gold in a high-relief technique known as takamakie. The decoration, which begins on the lid and continues on the sides, shows a kimono, a sash and perfume amulet, and other adornments hung on a clothing rack. Known as "whose sleeves" or tagasode, a term often found in Heian-period poetry, this design refers to a beautiful woman whose presence is invoked by the delicate scent lingering on her fashionable clothing.
The scene depicted on the bottom portion of the clothing rack, showing a man and a woman seated in a boat, illustrates a scene from chapter 51 of the Tale of Genji, in which Genji's grandson abducts a young woman named Ukifune.
In India, large pieces of pearl shell were used to cover the surface of objects as early as the 16th century. This technique is not found in Japan until the 18th and 19th centuries. A piece of mother-of-pearl that has been tinted gold and incised to create an image of a silk winder identifies the imagery as a representation of the Milky Way. The winder is a reference to the Weaver Star, who is tragically separated by the Milky Way from her lover, the Cowherd Star. The two are allowed to meet only once a year, a union that is the basis for the Tanabata, or Star Festival, in Japan, held annually between July 7 and August 7. Over time, this festival was conflated with Obon, a celebration of one's ancestors. Nomura Ky�koku, who signed his name on the bottom of the inr�, was active in the early 19th century. Other examples of this particular design are also known.
In the 19th century, Shibata Zeshin, who exhibited at several world fairs, was one of the few Japanese artists known in the West. Zeshin was trained both in the Shijo tradition of painting and in the making of lacquer. He is noted both for his use of lacquer as a painting medium and for his innovative melding of techniques and unusual materials in lacquer. The boats are made of pewter that has been roughly finished with lacquer while the traditional gold sprinkled (makie) technique defines the sheaves of rice. The combed pattern on the waves illustrates Zeshin's revival of the blue wave (seigaiha-nuri) lacquer techniques in which lacquer thickened with egg white or clay is placed on the surface and then combed into a pattern, such as that of the waves, with a bamboo brush. Small pieces of pearl shell form the small plovers flying over the scene, which has autumnal overtones.