Box

About this artwork

Kist voor schrijfgereedschap van hout met zwart lak fond, ingelegd met parelmoer en gevlochten messingdraad. De kist is voorzien van een uitschuifbare lade aan de rechterzijde. De versiering bestaat uit lotusranken.

Art Historical Context

This exquisite wooden box, dating from 1400–1500, served as a practical "kist" or chest for writing tools, reflecting the refined tastes of scholars or elites in late medieval Asia. Crafted from plant-based wood and coated in a glossy black lacquer fondo, it measures a compact 44.4 cm wide, 22.8 cm high, and 26.5 cm deep, making it portable yet elegant. A clever pull-out drawer on the right side provided convenient storage for brushes, ink, and seals, while intricate decorations of flowing lotus vines adorned its surfaces. The artistry shines in its inlay techniques: shimmering mother-of-pear...

About the Artist

anonymous

In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...