Chest for Storing Garments
1400s
Maker Unknown
Chinese Art
Chest for Storing Garments, 1400s. China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Lacquered wood with mother-of-pearl inlay; overall: 43 x 56 x 54.7 cm (16 15/16 x 22 1/16 x 21 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund 1975.10 This precious lacquer box is decorated with bird and plant motifs and figures in mother-of-pearl inlay. The decoration depicts the leisurely pursuit of scholars in nature and a garden setting. Scholars play the board game weiqi, have philosophical conversations, pluck a qin (a zither-like instrument with strings), and read books.
Lacquer chests of this type were used to store garments neatly folded along their straight seams. The mother-of-pearl inlay from shells is a technique that was typically practiced by craftsmen in Hangzhou and other parts of southeast China near the sea. Lacquer chests of this type were used to store garments.
Lacquer chests of this type were used to store garments neatly folded along their straight seams. The mother-of-pearl inlay from shells is a technique that was typically practiced by craftsmen in Hangzhou and other parts of southeast China near the sea. Lacquer chests of this type were used to store garments.
- Maker/Artist
- Maker Unknown
- Classification
- Lacquer
- Formatted Medium
- lacquered wood with mother-of-pearl inlay
- Medium
- lacquered, wood, mother-of-pearl, inlay
- Dimensions
- Overall: 43 x 56 x 54.7 cm (16 15/16 x 22 1/16 x 21 9/16 in.)
- Departments
- Chinese Art
- Accession Number
- 1975.10
- Credit Line
- Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund
- Exhibitions
- Year in Review: 1975, Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting, Scholar's Studio, Asian Autumn: Masterpieces from the Collection, Taming Tigers and Releasing Dragons: Masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist Art – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c, Stories From Storage
- Rights Statement
- CC0
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