Box for Accessories (Sumiaka-tebako) with Chrysanthemums and Autumn Grasses

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the Momoyama period, a new style of lacquer decoration, named after the Kōdaiji Temple, developed in Kyoto to cater to the flamboyant taste of the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The corners of this rectangular box are covered in red lacquer, under which a thick layer of hemp—part of the foundation—is visible. The decoration of chrysanthemums and autumn grasses is executed in flat, gold hiramaki-e, whose fine lines create a striking contrast with the black-lacquer background. Lacquers made for the European market around the same time are embellished in a similar style and technique.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art