Chest with Decoration of Gourd Vine
ca. 1878
Medium
Wood with black and gold lacquer
Dimensions
H. 25 1/2 in. (64.8 cm); W. 28 3/4 in. (73 cm); D. 10 1/8 in. (25.7 cm)
Classification
Lacquer
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975
Accession Number
1975.268.181
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Chest with Decoration of G Vine* by Shibata Zeshin, crafted around 1878 during Japan's Meiji period (1868–1912). This exquisite wooden chest, measuring about 25½ inches tall, showcases Zeshin's mastery of lacquerware, transforming a functional storage piece into a work of art. Adorned with intricate vines in black (roirō) and gold lacquer, the design evokes the organic grace of climbing gourds, symbols of abundance and longevity in Japanese culture. Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891) was a pioneering lacquer artist who blurred the lines between urushi (lacquer) and traditional ink paintin...
About the Artist
Shibata Zeshin · 1807–1891
Japanese, 1807–1891