色絵松葉梅菊文透彫重箱|Reticulated Tiered Box with Pine Needles, Plum Blossoms, and Chrysanthemums
Unknown Artist
second half of the18th century
Medium
Stoneware with polychrome enamels over a transparent glaze (Kyoto ware, Ko-Kiyomizu type)
Dimensions
W. 5 in. (12.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015
Accession Number
2015.500.9.30a–d
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite reticulated tiered box, crafted in the second half of the 18th century during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), exemplifies the refined artistry of Kyoto ware, specifically the Ko-Kiyomizu type. Made of stoneware adorned with vibrant polychrome enamels over a transparent glaze, the box measures just 5 inches wide, yet its delicate openwork (reticulated) design allows light to dance through intricate motifs of pine needles, plum blossoms, and chrysanthemums. These stacked tiers, known as *juubako*, were prized for storing sweets or tea ceremony essentials, blending utility with bre...