Document Box with Illustrated Books

Document Box with Illustrated Books

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This large box for calligraphy paper (ryōshi-bako) forms a set with the writing box of the same design. Writing boxes and document boxes were often prepared in pairs; sometimes a writing table completed the set. The open book on the front of the lid reveals a scene from “The Gatehouse,” chapter 16 of The Tale of Genji, with a procession of court carriages and elegant courtiers on their way to Ishiyama. On the right side of the box is a scene from Ise Stories, while the inside is decorated with bamboo and chrysanthemums, representing endurance and longevity, respectively.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Document Box with Illustrated BooksDocument Box with Illustrated BooksDocument Box with Illustrated BooksDocument Box with Illustrated BooksDocument Box with Illustrated Books

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.