Box
1750-1800 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
During the Choson period (1392-1910) boxes such as this one were used by wealthy gentlemen as storage containers for tobacco, which had been grown and smoked in Korea since the early seventeenth century, when it was introduced from Japan. As is typical of tobacco boxes, also this example is decorated with a large number of auspicious patterns, including pine trees, rocks, clouds and fungi. The prominently displayed tiger and dragon were popular motifs at this time, particularly on ceramics.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Cast bronze |
| Brief description | Bronze, dragon and tiger motif |
| Physical description | On one side is a square brass plaque bearing an oval looped handle. On the opposite side is a tiger with fungus, pine tree, rock and clouds. The longer sides have landscape scenes with figures. Dragons in clouds on the top. Boxes such as these would have been used by wealthy gentlemen as a storage container for tobacco. Colour: Bronze |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Given by Miss Christobel Hardcastle |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | During the Choson period (1392-1910) boxes such as this one were used by wealthy gentlemen as storage containers for tobacco, which had been grown and smoked in Korea since the early seventeenth century, when it was introduced from Japan. As is typical of tobacco boxes, also this example is decorated with a large number of auspicious patterns, including pine trees, rocks, clouds and fungi. The prominently displayed tiger and dragon were popular motifs at this time, particularly on ceramics. |
| Bibliographic reference | Verity Wilson. Celebrating Twenty-Five years in the Far Eastern collection of the V&A. London: Orientations, 1995, p.521 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.232&A-1974 |
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| Record created | April 12, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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