Minneapolis Institute of Art

Round Covered Box

China

Date

17th century

Medium

Painted lacquer with filled-in decoration (<I>tian-ch'i<I>)

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Densely patterned with painted polychrome lacquer, this small round box is rich in traditional Chinese symbolism. Inspired by repeat patterns found in silk brocades, the top is painted with auspicious yellow chrysanthemum flower heads within hexagons outlined in black interspersed with small swastikas. The side is engraved with three shou characters and ling-chih fungus lacquered in green and brown representing long life. There is a border of swastika trellis pattern on the rims. The swastika, a rebus for ten thousand, can be seen as a sort of multiplier for the shou and ling chih longevity symbols increasing the wish for a long life ten thousand times. Painted below the borders in green, brown, and black lacquer can be found the Eight Buddhist Emblems with the foot rim painted in a similar palette with lotus petal panels, a standard Buddhist symbol of spiritual purity. China, Asia

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