Description
The top of this delicate box depicts a long tailed bird in red, resting on a branch among plum blossoms and flowers. Rendered in the “Tianqi technique” using bright but muted tones of yellow ochre, ochre, red and deep green against a lush dark brown background. The sloping sides are incised with Ganoderma (longzhi) longevity mushrooms and five bright lotus flowers. The outer bands of the box are incised with scrolling Ganoderma cloud pattern. The interior is finished in a beautiful rich burnt Sienna. Chinese Tianqi lacquer is a specific technique in Chinese lacquerware where designs are created by filling in incised lines with lacquer of a different color
An almost identical box in form, size and construction is published in the Muwentang Collection of Chinese Lacquer and is dated to the Jiaming period of the Ming dynasty (1522 -1566). Is seems likely this box is of the same period.
Minor repairs to the sides and inside.
Size: 1.5 x 1.5 x 5.7 cm
Provenance: Japanese private collection
