Foliate lacquer box with roses

Foliate lacquer box with roses

Qing dynasty, 18th century
Length: 2 3/4 inches, 6.8 cm
Height: 1 3/8 inches, 3.6 cm

Foliate lacquer box with roses

A cinnabar lacquer box of foliate form with a flat-topped sleeve cover. The top is carved through a thick layer of lacquer and depicts a flowering rose tree with buds and curled leaves, set against a background of finely-carved geometric diapers. The straight sides are carved with a continuous wan pattern. The base is incised with three different fruits: a pomegranate, a peach and a finger citron. The rim of the base is further incised with a continuous pattern of waves. The interior is lacquered black.

 

The Chinese rose is native to Southwest China in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. Because of its long blooming season it is a symbol of longevity and is known as the ‘flower of eternal spring (or youth)’ (changchunhua). Since it blooms almost every month, it is also known as the ‘monthly rose’ (yueji). The character ji in its name, meaning ‘season’, is a pun for ‘four seasons’ or ‘year-round’.[1] The incised decoration on the base, consisting of a pomegranate, peach and finger citron, forms a pun for ‘may you be granted the Three Abundances: blessing, long life and many sons’.[2] A pair of red lacquer circular boxes similar in size and design but carved with melons and butterflies, is dated to the Qianlong period and is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.[3] A much larger cinnabar lacquer box with similar rose decoration on the top was in the Qing Court collection and is now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei.[4]

  1. Tse Bartholomew, T. Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, 2006, 7.54, p. 219
  2. Tse Bartholomew, T. op. cit. 3.23.2, p. 77
  3. Metropolitan Museum of Art online collection archive, accession number: 13.220.57a, b
  4. Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, no. 183, p. 165

剔紅月季花菱邊盒
清 十八世紀
長：6.8 公分 高：3.6 公分
菱邊盒，平頂罩蓋，通體髹朱漆，盒內髹黑漆。蓋面剔月季花一株扎根於地，枝頭上月季花綻放，含
苞並蒂，枝葉繁茂。盒側周身滿飾卍字錦地紋。盒底朱漆上淺刻石榴、壽桃與香櫞。盒底側邊淺刻波
狀紋。月季花原產於中國南部貴州、湖北與四川等地，因幾乎每月開花，得名「月季」，又因開花期
長，又名「長春花」。盒底淺刻三物，象徵多子多孫（石榴）、長壽（壽桃）及福氣（香櫞）。美國
紐約大都會博物館藏有一對圓形漆盒，盒蓋雕瓜與蝶，然形制與尺寸均與本品極為相似。臺北故宮博
物院則藏有一件剔紅月季花捧盒，主題相同。