Suntory Museum of Art
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Notable Works
Black lacquered large tray with dragon design in mother-of-pearl inlay

Notable Works

Lacquerware

Black lacquered large tray with dragon design in mother-of-pearl inlay

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Place of production or style: Ryukyu lacquerware
Number of components: 1
Dimensions (in cm): D. 85.0, H. 10.0
Date of production: Second Sho Dynasty, Ryukyu Kingdom 17th century

This large tray is crafted out of eight different blocks of wood, entirely covered in black lacquer. On the inside of the tray, a pair of five-taloned dragons play among auspicious clouds, surrounding the wish-fulfilling gem in the center, all inlaid in mother-of pearl. The rim features a hexagonal interlocking pattern of six-petaled flowers in mother-of-pearl, and an auspicious design of a handheld fan, a brush, a scroll, and a feather fan. Some small trays with similar patterns still survive, but at present, there are only three known examples of a tray of this size. This tray is also unique because of the rarity of the three wavy lines that extend from the jewel in the four cardinal directions.

Notable Works

Black lacquered large tray with dragon design in mother-of-pearl inlay

SUNTORY MUSEUM of ART