Chinese, Ming dynasty, Yongle mark and period
(1402–1424)
Covered Box with Camellia Design
1402–24
red lacquer with carved design (tihong)
2¾ x 7½ in
6.99 x 19.05 cm
Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund
82.208 a-b
Circular boxes such as this one were produced in great number during the reigns of Emperors Yongle and Xuande in the early 15th century. Its carved camellia blossoms are presented in such intricate detail that even the flowers’ stamens and the leaves’ veins are evident. High-quality lacquerwares, covered with more than a hundred layers of lacquer, were produced in southern China where warm temperatures of 70–80 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity of 75–85 percent made this technique possible.