Clothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” Crests

Clothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” Crests

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The midarebako—a shallow traylike box used to temporarily hold folded clothing and small accessories—developed from a Heian-period (794–1185) predecessor. It was typically used when dressing or changing, for keeping things nearby at night, or while women arranged their hair. The shape indicates that larger boxes’ lids might originally have been used for the same purpose. This Kōdaiji-style version is embellished with maki-e paulownia crests associated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and nine-orb (kuyō) crests used predominately by the Hosokawa family.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Clothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” CrestsClothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” CrestsClothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” CrestsClothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” CrestsClothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” Crests

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.