Covered box with hibiscus and grapevines

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China
mid-15th century
This box exemplifies the highest quality of cloisonné produced by the imperial Ming workshop. In addition to stylized lotus scrolls commonly seen on earlier works, it features a naturalistic depiction of flowers and fruits. To create the subtle color variations on the leaves, artists used a sophisticated process of mixing yellow, green, and red enamels. These representations date this piece to the mid-fifteenth century, most likely the legendary Jingtai era (1450–57)—a golden age of cloisonné enamel production in China.
Title

Covered box with hibiscus and grapevines

Period

Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Date

mid-15th century

Culture

China

Medium

Cloisonné enamel

Dimensions

H. 2 in. (5 cm); Diam. 6 1/2 in. (16.7 cm)

Credit Line

Promised Gift of Clara and Theodore Wang

Object No.

L.2022.23a–c