Sake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating Fields

Sake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating Fields

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Kōdaiji style was the most prominent development in the history of Momoyama-period lacquer art, and is characterized by bold, large-scale patterns, autumn grass motifs, and crests executed in gold hiramaki-e (“flat sprinkled picture”) on a black ground. Patronage and construction of the temple for which the style is named are associated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his wife Nene (Kōdai-in, 1548–1624), and with shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), who generously supported the creation of the temple precinct and mausoleum in 1605 in honor of his opponent Hideyoshi. The application of the flat maki-e and large repetitive patterns made it possible to decorate everyday household objects with gold designs. Hideyoshi used this style to represent his political power and authority.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating FieldsSake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating FieldsSake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating FieldsSake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating FieldsSake Ewer (Hisage) with Chrysanthemums and Paulownia Crests in Alternating Fields

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.