Cosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding Set

Cosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding Set

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This lacquer box for eyebrow cosmetics, including a variety of brushes, was part of a spectacular wedding trousseau. It was commissioned to celebrate the marriage of Princess Taka (1809–1862) of the Shimazu clan (one of the wealthiest and most politically influential daimyo families of the time) to a son of the Matsudaira clan, relatives of the Tokugawa. The two family crests on the piece—the Shimazu cross in a circle and the Matsudaira stylized plum flower—symbolize the union. The pine and bamboo motifs are auspicious symbols associated with longevity and resilience and allude to good wishes for a happy marriage.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding SetCosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding SetCosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding SetCosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding SetCosmetic Box (Mayudzukuri-bako) with Pine, Bamboo, and Cherry Blossoms from a Wedding Set

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.