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Box in the Shape of an Archaic Jade Jue Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95) 18th century China L.(13 cm)

Rice Measure with Daoist Figures Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Jiajing period (1522–66) 16th century China Carved red, green, and black lacquer H. (16.5 cm);

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Box Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)China Cinnabar lacquer H.(3.2 cm)

Box with “Fragrant Grass” DesignYuan dynasty (1271–1368) 14th century China Carved black, red, and yellow lacquer H. (3.2 cm); Diam.(8.6 cm)

Box with “Pommel Scroll” Design Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) 14th century China Carved red, black, and yellow lacquer H. 3.2cm Diam. (8.6 cm)

Box with Birds and Flowers Ming dynasty (1368–1644) second half of the 16th century China Carved red lacquer H. (4.4 cm); Diam. (10.8 cm)

Box with Camellias Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279) 13th century China Carved red lacquer H. (3.8 cm)

Box with Camellias Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279) 13th century China Carved red lacquer H. (3.8 cm)

A carved cinnabar lacquer stem bowl. Ming Dynasty, 16th century

Brush holder Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95) Wood, lacquer H. (11 cm); Diam. (9.2 cm)

Box with cover Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95) China Cinnabar lacquer H. (10.5 cm)

Box with Dragons amid Clouds Southern Song (1127–1279) – Yuan (1271–1368) dynasty, late 13th–early 14th century, China Carved black, red, and yellow lacquer H. (7.6 cm)

Box with Fragrant Grass Design Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) late 13th century China Carved black, red, and yellow lacquer H. (4.1 cm)

Box with Garden Scene Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Yongle period (1403–24) China Carved red lacquer Diam. (22.2 cm)

Box with Landscape Scenes and Auspicious Emblems Qing dynasty (14.6 cm)

Box with Lid Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) 18th century Korea Lacquer inlaid with mother-of-pearl H. (21 cm)

Box with Gardenia, Plum Blossoms, and Finches Ming dynasty (1368–1644) late 16th–early 17th century China Black lacquer painted with lacquer and oil colors; basketry panels H. (11.4 cm); L.(30.5 cm)

Vase with Floral Background and Landscapes in Cartouches Qing dynasty (1644–1911) 18th century China Carved red lacquer H. (47cm)

Box with Lychees Ming dynasty (1368–1644) late 16th–early 17th century China Carved red and black lacquer Diam.(7.9 cm)

Sound: Jeff Beal & Nawang Khechog - Peace Prayer

Text and pictures: Metropolitan MuseumCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Arangement: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Nawang Khechog

Lacquer, made from the resin of a family of trees (Rhus verniciflua) native to East Asia, is an amazing material. When tapped from the tree, it is white or light gray and has a consistency similar to that of molasses. When exposed to oxygen and humidity, lacquer polymerizes, or hardens, into a natural plastic that is resistant to water, certain acids, and heat, rendering it an ideal protective covering for objects made of wood and, occasionally, metal.

Produced largely in the south, lacquer has been used in China since at least the sixth century B.C. on serving vessels, boxes, and other containers. When mixed with pigments, particularly red (cinnabar) and black (carbon), lacquer is also used for painting. Historical records indicate that Chinese lacquer was imported into the area near present-day Samarkand as early as the twelfth century, and it is documented in Japanese collections as early as the fourteenth. Lacquers served as diplomatic gifts and luxurious trade goods, and they have been an integral part of the Japanese tea ceremony for centuries.

Organized in celebration of three spectacular gifts to the Museum, this small exhibition explores techniques and themes in Chinese lacquer from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century, a high point in the development of this uniquely Asian artistic tradition. Some works illustrate the carved-lacquer technique, in which multiple layers of lacquer—as many as two hundred—are incised deeply with lush geometric or figural patterns, or scenes of figures in landscapes. Other objects demonstrate related techniques whereby shallower incisions are inlaid with gold, pigment, or minute pieces of mother-of-pearl to create equally ornate surface decoration.