朱漆高盤 （根来塗）|Flower-shaped Negoro Tray (Kōban) with Three Feet

Unknown

15th century · Wood with coatings of red over black lacquer (Negoro ware) · Asian Art

With a petal-shaped rim and an openwork base, this tray represents the high esteem in which medieval Japan held imported Chinese works of art (karamono). Such precious objects from the Song and Yuan periods (960–1368) came to Japan in the Kamakura (1185–1392) and Muromachi periods with the introduction of new schools and teachings of Buddhism, especially Zen. Negoro ware trays like this one, inspired by Chinese examples, were made by Japanese craftsmen beginning about the mid-thirteenth century. Those with a high foot were typically used with tenmoku tea bowls to serve tea.

Artist

Unknown

Date

15th century

Medium

Wood with coatings of red over black lacquer (Negoro ware)

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2019