Covered Box from an Altar Set
Unknown Artist
Medium
Jadeite, emerald-green mingled with light gray and markings of dead oak leaf
Dimensions
H. 1 5/16 in. (3.3 cm); W. 1 15/16 in. (5 cm); D. 1 9/16 in. (4 cm)
Classification
Jade
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
Accession Number
02.18.500a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite covered box, part of a larger altar set, hails from China's Qing dynasty during the Qianlong period (6–95), a age of imperial artistry and opulence. Crafted from jadeite—emerald-green flecked with light gray striking "dead oak leaf" markings—the box measures just over 1 inch tall, embodying the meticulous precision of Qing jade carvers. Its petite dimensions (H. 1 5/16 in.; W. 1 15/16 in.; D. 1 9/16 in.) made it ideal for placement on family altars, where such objects held ritual significance in ancestral worship and offerings. Jadeite, prized in Chinese culture for symbolizing...