Box with chrysanthemum and praying mantis

China

Not on view

In China, the praying mantis was appreciated for its skillful hunting with its long front legs. The term for “praying mantis” has the same pronunciation as the word for “handsome man” (lang), and the insect became a popular motif in Chinese art from the sixteenth century on.

Box with chrysanthemum and praying mantis, Carved red and black lacquer, China

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