Shell and Resin: Korean Mother-of-Pearl and Lacquer

Exquisitely crafted, this box is the earliest example of lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl in The Met collection, and one of the few such works in the world dated to the twelfth century. The eight-petal chrysanthemums and scrolling leaves filling its sides and top were created with small but relatively thick pieces of shell, while three peonies were made from slivers of red-tinted tortoiseshell. Thin twisted wires outline the edges, a feature of Korean and Chinese lacquers from the twelfth to the fourteenth century.

Floral scrolls consisting of delicate leaves and blooms are ubiquitous in Korean lacquerware dating to the Goryeo and early Joseon dynasties. The scrolls on this tray follow the earlier Goryeo tradition but are distinguished by their use of mother-of-pearl, rather than silver or brass wire, for depicting the stems. The spirals complement the scalloped shape of the tray, creating an ornate yet refined and balanced object.

Scholarly men collected and used stationery boxes like this to hold paper and writing implements. A rare example of early Joseon lacquer, the box’s ornate design of peony blossoms and acanthus-like leaves illustrates the expansion of sophisticated Goryeo-dynasty techniques and traditions. Peony blossoms of similar form can be found on inlaid buncheong ware; the stylized acanthus-like leaves are distinctive to this example and to the few other extant boxes of its type, which are nearly identical.

With a design of peonies and leaves that seamlessly scroll over its sides, this box shares many traits with the adjacent stationery box. Covering an object’s entire surface with a continuous motif was a new style that emerged in the early Joseon period and persisted throughout the dynasty. Floral scrolls with peony blooms and buds are also found in contemporaneous Korean buncheong ceramics (including the adjacent bowl), which provides further evidence for dating these boxes to the early Joseon dynasty.

The black lacquer exterior of this box is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlaid in the form of simple floral scrolls and formal borders. Twisted metal wires make up the stems of the scrolls and frame the different zones of the decoration. Several of the circular disks of tortoiseshell inlay on the top surface, apparently lost, have been replaced by mother-of-pearl. The inside of the box is lined with red satin. A number of boxes nearly identical to this one in dimensions and decoration are known.

A notable feature of this piece and others of this type is the incorporation of gold powder sprinkled on the lacquer. The gold appears only in patches, however, probably because most of it was rubbed off when the surface was polished down after the mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell were inlaid.

Though lacquerware was produced in quantity rather than as unique objects, lacquer artisans could use the same design schema to create different effects. Blossoms and leaves, clouds, and dots are arranged compositionally in the same manner on both boxes, but the enlarged motifs on the box at right, inlaid solely in mother-of-pearl, take center stage and nearly cover its entire surface. Along with shell, the box at left features twisted wire and tortoiseshell inlaid in lacquer to create delicate, tonally varied decoration.

The large peony motif and expansive use of mother-of-pearl in this stationery box reflect a trend found in later Joseon lacquer. Three rows of five peonies are linked with scrolling twisted wire. In a departure from earlier lacquerware, peony leaves completely fill the space between the blossoms. Here the mother-of-pearl becomes the focus of the work, especially in the border, with the black lacquer acting as a backdrop.

This clothing box is lavishly decorated with peony scrolls bounded by bands of geometric designs. On the top, peonies are enclosed by an ogival frame, and is further embellished with tortoiseshell, whose rich, warm tone contrasts nicely with the brightness of the mother-of-pearl.

Two dragons chasing a flaming jewel decorate this clothing box, which has a lacquer ground sprinkled with gold. The beasts’ long, sinewy bodies wrap around the sides of the box, with their heads coming to face each other at opposite corners on the top. The masterful mixture of diverse materials—mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, ray skin, and twisted wire—highlights different textures, emphasizing the tactile quality of the mythical beasts and also their dynamic character.

The design elements of this box—two dragons in the clouds in pursuit of a jewel—are very similar to the nearby clothing box, yet the depiction is quite different owing to the artist’s sophisticated application of inlaid material. The dragons’ colorfully variegated bodies are predominately made from ray skin, while mother-of-pearl is strategically inlaid to bring luminescence to the dragons’ eyes and to the clouds. Tortoiseshell forms dark clouds, with thin-lined wisps made in contrasting wire.

The style and arrangement of the motifs on this box convey playfulness and whimsy, as long-tailed phoenixes fly among flower-like clouds. On the sides, insects hover above stems whose curves add to the sense of motion.

The decoration on this table continues the designs of Goryeo-dynasty lacquer. The scroll pattern in wire, delicate three-pointed leaves, and circular geometric pattern are common in the earlier tradition. The scallop framing of the floral motif on the tabletop evokes the shape of the nearby trays.

The decoration on this table, similar to that of the table displayed nearby, is characteristic of Goryeo-dynasty design. The wire-inlay scroll pattern, delicate three-pointed leaves, and circular geometric pattern are common Goryeo-lacquer motifs that were carried through in this Joseon lacquer. The scalloped framing of the tabletop’s floral motif evokes the shape of the ogival tray nearby.

Similar in motifs and materials, this chest and the version adjacent to it may have been part of a set. The extensive ornamentation and use of precious inlaid materials indicate that the object would have been used in an elite household, likely in the women’s quarters, as suggested by the phoenix and floral motifs.

Owing to its durability and waterproofing qualities lacquer was frequently applied to furniture. The taegeuk, or colored roundels, and trigrams on this chest—symbols now associated with the South Korean flag—along with the chrysanthemum motif suggest the piece dates to the Korean Empire (1897–1910).

This lacquered wood box is decorated with thin sheets of ox horn painted in bright colors, a lacquerware technique that developed fully in the late Joseon period, becoming a fashionable art form alongside inlaid mother-of-pearl. Animals symbolizing good fortune, longevity, and protection decorate this piece, including cranes, deer, dragons, phoenixes, and tigers.

This chest is an excellent example of an early twentieth-century lacquer box with allover mother-of-pearl decoration. The nature scenes and insect motifs incised in the shell are filled with black ink or charcoal, making the piece particularly striking. The chest’s shape, size, and compartments suggest that it held writing or cosmetic paraphernalia.

Judging by its size and pink lining, this palanquin, a form of transport for the elite prior to the twentieth century, was probably used by women. A removable domed cover and front panel allow access, while sets of sliding windows, lined to provide privacy, also let the occupant see out through the mesh. The palanquin is carved with auspicious and fantastical imagery ranging from tigers, phoenixes, elephants, and camels to peacocks, peonies, camellias, and grapes. By the mid-twentieth century, palanquins were used primarily for ceremonial purposes, such as weddings. Today some brides still arrange for a palanquin for portions of the ceremony.

This covered vessel is a tour de force of intricate inlay. This vessel foregrounds mother-of-pearl but uses smaller curvilinear pieces that showcase the meticulous work of cutting and inlaying the shell and painstakingly removing excess lacquer and polishing

Sohn Daehyun, who works in the long tradition of Korean lacquer, called ottchil  (옻칠), and mother-of-pearl art, has been recognized with the designation as Seoul Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 1 Chiljang-Ottchil [서울무형문화재 제1호 칠장(옻칠) 보유자]. On this box, the artist wonderfully adapts the grapevine, a subject more often found on ceramics and in painting. Sohn also includes butterflies, a whimsical motif of which he is particularly fond.

Sohn Daehyun masterfully cuts, incises, and inlays mother-of-pearl to create a pictorial scene of the Ten Symbols of Longevity framed by a floral border. The ten natural and animal symbols were a favored subject in the late Joseon period and can be seen in objects displayed in the case on the opposite wall. Sohn selects the pieces of shell for their color and carefully arranges them to create a palette for the scene.

Kim Seol draws from various traditional methods to create new techniques, such as the blending and layering of red and black lacquer or the addition of tofu to texture the resin. With this box she creates a complex asymmetrical shape with no identical surfaces and complicates the ornamentation by combining incising and inlay techniques. She contrasts the bright white opacity of the inlaid quail eggshell with the pearly luster of the mother-of-pearl.

A leading master of contemporary lacquer, Chung Haecho focuses on the materiality of lacquer, specifically of the Korean kind called ottchil (옻칠). In moving away from vessel shapes, he disconnects lacquer from practical use and concentrates on its luster and deep color. He has perfected manipulating lacquer resin, emphasizing color and sheen through years of experimentation.

These five vessels relate to the traditional color spectrum obangsaek (오방색). The colors are connected to the cardinal directions and the five elements that are the basis of East Asian cosmology: white (west, metal), black (north, water), yellow (center, earth), red (south, fire), and blue (east, wood). Since lacquer is naturally a deep reddish brown, it cannot be rendered white; in this piece Chung Haecho substituted green. The in-gallery video shows Chung’s process in making vessels of this type, which here represent continued innovation in the centuries-long lacquer tradition.

Sohn finds inspiration in the colors of late Joseon red and orange lacquerware. The geometric pattern the artist created with the inlaid mother-of-pearl references crazing techniques found in earlier celadon wares, yet the work’s design and execution leave no doubt that this is contemporary work.

Chung Haecho is primarily known for focusing on undecorated lacquer, but this early piece demonstrates his understanding of the long tradition of lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl (the inlay pattern seen here looks similar to the sides of the small chest with allover inlay nearby). Chung cut areas of shell that had a pink hue and then painstakingly inlaid them in black lacquer; the contrast of the pink shell against the black ground results in the green and blue colors.

Kim Hyunju’s training as a metal artist is clear in her works. She carefully selects a metal to shape and then affixes mother-of-pearl. In this work, the silver of the nickel accentuates the white tones and glimmer of the shell.

Thin, translucent pieces of mother-of-pearl interact with the copper-orange base of this vessel to create its various blue and purple tones.

Mother-of-pearl pieces in various sizes have been applied to the front and sides of this plate and secured to the wood substrate with pins. The flower motif at the center is often found on such items. Plates as well as ewers and basins, many in shapes derived from European vessels, were produced in Gujarat for the Portuguese.

Ducks, particularly when represented in pairs, symbolize fidelity and marital bliss. It is possible that this charming pair was once a wedding gift or a portion of a woman’s dowry. Part of the back of each duck is removable to allow incense or some other easily dispensed substance to be stored inside.

Ducks, particularly when represented in pairs, symbolize fidelity and marital bliss. It is possible that this charming pair was once a wedding gift or a portion of a woman’s dowry. Part of the back of each duck is removable to allow incense or some other easily dispensed substance to be stored inside.

The technique of carving lacquer was developed in particular for Chinese lacquerware. While red lacquer is used in later Joseon ware, prior to the twentieth century carving is not found in Korean lacquer, for which inlay was the preferred decorative method.

The peony scroll, twisted wire, and hexagonal patterns on the border of this box are archaizing elements that are also found in earlier Chinese and Korean lacquer. Images of gentlemen traveling in the evening are common in Chinese pictorial lacquer. Mother-of-pearl, with its lunar-like iridescence, was probably understood as an appropriate medium for depicting a moonlit landscape.

Stirrups decorated with mother-of-pearl are rare, and this pair is perhaps the finest surviving example. Prominently placed on the front of each stirrup is a mon (heraldic emblem) consisting of three hollyhock leaves in a circle signifying the ownership of the Tokugawa family, which held the office of shogun (supreme military commander of Japan) from 1603 to 1868. At the time these stirrups were made, luxurious objects displaying the Tokugawa mon so prominently would have been appropriate only for Tokugawa Ieyasu, his son Tokugawa Hidetada (the first and second shoguns, respectively), or one of their closest relatives.

The Ryūkyū Islands are a chain of islands between Kyushu, Japan, and Taiwan; the archipelago’s largest island is Okinawa. The Kingdom of Ryūkyū’s diplomatic and trade connections with Korea, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia can be seen in lacquerware such as this box, which features hunters on horseback and floral motifs found on various media throughout East Asia. With different hues of inlaid mother-of-pearl, raised gold outlines, and a lid that can also be used as a stand, this seal box demonstrates the innovation of Ryūkyū lacquer artisans.

Historical records indicate that sets of thirty trays with matching basins were sent from the Kingdom of Ryūkyū to the Qing court in Beijing at least three times during the eighteenth century; many large trays that probably belonged to these sets remain in collections in China and Taiwan. The dragons chasing a pearl at center have five-clawed feet, indicating that they are imperial symbols. Rendered with thin pieces of mother-of-pearl chosen for their bright colors, the dragons feature heads disjointed from the rest of their bodies, a characteristic of Ryūkyū lacquer.

In China, simple lacquer objects comprising a wood base covered with black or brown lacquer were used widely during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

Burning incense is an essential part of Buddhist rituals. Most surviving Goryeo-period censers take the shape of a deep bowl on a fluted base; this vessel also has three legs and an ornate top. The bronze casting of this piece combined with its delicate form show the skillfulness that Goryeo artisans achieved in metalwork, as they also had done in ceramics and mother-of-pearl lacquerware.

The playful rendition of horses on this vessel reflects a broader whimsical aesthetic of the period. Horses were an integral part of Silla society and culture, as evidenced in part by the horse trappings buried (among other earthly possessions, including gold accessories and ceramics) with the deceased. Pots with equine images, however, are relatively rare.

This bottle illustrates the care lavished on even the smallest objects produced during the Goryeo dynasty. The peony-leaf motif is created through a reverse-inlay technique, in which the area around the leaf design is carved away and inlaid with white slip. The leaves are further embellished with fine incised lines. It is thought that lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl was one of the inspirations for the Goryeo potters who developed the time-consuming technique of inlay, called sanggam, in celadon ware.

As symbols of abundance and good fortune, peonies are a popular motif. Instead of full blossoms, peony leaves are charmingly depicted on the bottle.

This deep, bowl-like basin would have been paired with a tall, slender wine ewer or bottle and filled with hot water to keep the wine warm. The artisan skillfully utilizes the inlaid slip to create a contrast between the white peony blossom and bud and the black leaves.

The five peonies on this bowl, each rendered within a roundel, are inlaid in white and black slip, while the surrounding scrolling pattern is achieved through the reverse-inlay method, where the background, rather than the design, is carved out and filled with slip. This combination of techniques creates a dramatic effect unique to Goryeo celadon.

The repeating chrysanthemum flowers that constitute the main design on this celadon bottle were achieved using stamps. The impressions created were then filled with a slip that turns white or black upon firing, depending on its iron content. Thus, this bottle is an excellent example of the inlay technique called sanggam, which was particular to Goryeo celadons. It is thought that Goryeo potters were inspired by inlaid mother-of-pearl lacquer, like the nearby trefoil box, in their creation of this inlay technique for ceramics.

An extremely rare celadon flute, this piece was probably custom-made and intended primarily as a decorative object rather than as a functional instrument. The flying cranes, mushroom-shaped clouds, and miniature chrysanthemum blossoms inlaid along its body appear frequently on Goryeo celadon. Gold mixed with lacquer resin was applied to the mouth, a technique, known as kintsugi, used to mend and restore ceramic.

The inlaid cranes and clouds, popular motifs, are delicately yet expressively rendered. Set against the green color of the glaze, they appear to float in the sky.

With its voluptuous form and eye-catching inlaid design of large cranes and clouds, this is an excellent example of a maebyeong, or plum bottle, used for alcohol and other beverages. Lacquer resin mixed with powdered gold was used to repair the mouth.

In its form, color, and style of decoration, this handsome jar is representative of blue-and-white porcelain produced at court-patronized kilns in eighteenth-century Korea. The minimalism of the painted design and the abundance of white space are among the features that distinguish Korean blue-and-white porcelain from its contemporary equivalents in China, Japan, and Europe.

Porcelain jars painted with cobalt-blue dragons were popular from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century. Many were used as flower vases in official court ceremonies. Like the lacquer boxes on view nearby, this jar features a pair of four-clawed dragons chasing flaming jewels. In addition to symbolizing strength and dynamism, dragons are seen as auspicious, welcoming creatures; the pair seen here, with their amusing faces, reflects the notion that they are not always to be feared.

Tigers appear frequently in Joseon art, including ceramic, lacquer, and painting. Although symbolic of strength and fierceness, the animal is often rendered with a humorous, expressive face, as on this blue-and-white jar. A single tiger sits tamely against a spare backdrop with a pine tree, a popular pairing of beast and plant.

This buncheong bowl illustrates the popular use of peony scrolls as a motif across various media beyond lacquerware. The bold, undulating scroll of peony blossoms and leaves nicely contrasts with the tightly stamped chrysanthemum motif in the interior.

The shape of this jar—with its globular body, long neck, and rolled rim—is typical of nineteenth-century Joseon Korean porcelain, as is its swiftly rendered, bold decoration. The flash of color from copper-red pigment enlivens the peony flower.

Scholarly men of the Joseon dynasty collected and used tasteful writing and painting accessories. This brush holder is an elegant example of nineteenth-century porcelain with carved openwork designs. The flower is often thought to be a lotus, but it is also similar to the peony motifs found in late Joseon lacquer objects.

The dragons circling this bulbous jar are represented only by sinuous, scaly bodies. Their depictions are extremely abbreviated, almost to abstraction, and clearly convey the speed of the brush, giving the jar vigor and vibrancy.

Visual puns, often made by using homophones, are a popular design language in Chinese art. In addition to being a zodiac animal, the monkey also symbolizes a noble title, because it is pronounced the same as the word for marquis (hou) in Chinese. Here, monkey, bees, magpie, and deer are combined to convey “giving great wealth and bestowing a noble title” (jue lu feng hou). This handsomely painted blue-and-white dish therefore expresses two wishes for good fortune.

Smoking became prevalent during the late Joseon period, and led to the production of small boxes, such as this iron example with silver inlay, to hold tobacco leaves. In addition to the bird-and-flower imagery, this box shares many motifs with those found on lacquerware, including peony blossoms and hexagonal geometric patterns. It also features auspicious symbolism, evident from the large double-happiness character (囍) on the lid.

Lee Bul, a leading contemporary artist, explores issues of gender, oppression, inequity, and technology through her performances, installations, and sculptures. Her recent Perdu series challenges the binary categories of the organic and the artificial through material and form, combining organic mother-of-pearl, lacquer, and wood with synthetic acrylic paint. Lee has said that preparatory drawings for her Cyborg series (1997–2011), which she happened upon many years later, was one of her sources for Perdu, hence the link between the natural, floral-like image in this work to hybrid humanoid forms. Lee is also mindful of Korea’s long lacquer tradition, which is evident in this work’s dark color, layering, and inlaid mother-of-pearl.