元末明初 黑漆嵌螺鈿 “桃源洞” 圖方盒|Box with “peach-blossom grotto”
Unknown
late 14th–mid-15th century · Black lacquer with inlaid mother-of-pearl · Asian Art
Three Chinese characters incised on a rectangular piece of shell at upper right identify the scene on this box as the “peach-blossom grotto” (tao yuan dong). The phrase refers to a famous poem by Tao Qian (365–427) in which a fisherman enters a grotto and stumbles upon Shangri-la. As is invariably the case with such magical realms, once the man leaves the cave he is never able to return.
- Artist
- Unknown
- Date
- late 14th–mid-15th century
- Medium
- Black lacquer with inlaid mother-of-pearl
- Culture
- China
- Department
- Asian Art
- Credit line
- Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2006
