Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and Butterflies

Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and Butterflies

Nagata Yūji

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Kyoto-based lacquer master Nagata Yūji admired the fresh decorative designs and lacquer compositions of Ogata Kōrin (1658–1716). Too young to have been a disciple of Kōrin’s, Nagata studied the master’s work and adopted the Rinpa style. He signed his works Seiseishi, meaning “follower of Seisei,” one of the artist names used by Kōrin. In his later years, Nagata moved to Edo and became a tea master.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and ButterfliesDocument Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and ButterfliesDocument Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and ButterfliesDocument Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and ButterfliesDocument Box (Ryōshibako) with Hydrangeas and Butterflies

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.