Lacquer Box
1403-1424 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The red colour of this early 15th-century box was achieved by using cinnabar as a colouring agent. The intricate floral pattern was created by building up many layers of lacquer and then carving them.
Lacquer was a craft from East Asia. Chinese workers had been tapping the sap of the lacquer tree from about 3000 BC. The filtered and purified lacquer was then applied to a base, usually of wood, and coloured.
Lacquer was a craft from East Asia. Chinese workers had been tapping the sap of the lacquer tree from about 3000 BC. The filtered and purified lacquer was then applied to a base, usually of wood, and coloured.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Lacquer, carved |
| Brief description | Woo, China, lacquer, carved Woo, China, lacquer, carved Woo, China, lacquer, carved |
| Physical description | Circular red lacquer box carved with camellia branches on the top and five groups of flowers on the sides; the inside and the base are lacquered in black. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | Yongle mark on the base |
| Credit line | Given by Sir Harry and Lady Garner |
| Object history | Formerly Chester Beatty (Garner, Chinese Lacquer p.86) |
| Summary | The red colour of this early 15th-century box was achieved by using cinnabar as a colouring agent. The intricate floral pattern was created by building up many layers of lacquer and then carving them. Lacquer was a craft from East Asia. Chinese workers had been tapping the sap of the lacquer tree from about 3000 BC. The filtered and purified lacquer was then applied to a base, usually of wood, and coloured. |
| Bibliographic reference | Garner, Harry (1979) Chinese Lacquer, London-Boston: Faber and Faber, p.86, pl. 32, col. pl. B |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.22&A-1974 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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