明早期 黑漆嵌螺鈿人物花鳥紋撞盒|Tiered Box with Figural Scenes, Flowers, and Birds

Unknown

first half of the 15th century · Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay · Asian Art

The adorable girls peeking around the wall at the woman and dogs in the garden are found in at least two other works from the period. This scene likely illustrates a well-known moment from a literary work or a play. Every panel and column of the architecture is decorated with a distinct pattern, attesting to the painstaking labor needed to create the scene. Each of the sixteen cartouches on the sides shows different flowers and birds.

Artist

Unknown

Date

first half of the 15th century

Medium

Black lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015