Box with camellia

Box with camellia

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The stylized flowers depicted in Chinese lacquer are often difficult to identify precisely. However, the large blossom on this box is probably a camellia, a flower associated with winter and endurance. This box is one of several, most found in Japan, which bear the name Zhang Cheng (here, carved into the base). He is one of only two fourteenth-century lacquer artists whose names are recorded.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.