元 張成款雕漆剔紅綬帶秋葵紋盤|Dish with long-tailed birds and hibiscuses
mid-14th century
Medium
Carved red lacquer
Dimensions
H. 1/8 in. (0.3 cm); Diam. 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm)
Classification
Lacquer
Culture & Period
China · Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, in honor of James C. Y. Watt, 2011
Accession Number
2011.120.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite carved red lacquer dish, created in mid-14th-century China during the Yuan dynasty, exemplifies the refined artistry of the period. Attributed to the master lacquer artist Zhang Cheng, the shallow circular form features intricate designs of long-tailed birds amid hibiscus blossoms. Its remarkably thin profile—measuring just one-eighth of an inch in height—highlights the technical precision required to achieve such delicate yet durable results in lacquer. The medium of carved red lacquer, known as *tihong*, involves applying dozens of layers of lacquer over a wooden core before ...