Quadrifoil Box, one of a pair

This pair of carved lacquer boxes presents scenes of scholars in landscape settings (top panels), and the eight Buddhist auspicious emblems (sides): the wheel, a conch shell, an umbrella, a canopy, a lotus flower, paired fish, a vase, and an endless knot. Pictorial carved lacquer was perfected during the early Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and remained popular into the 20th century. Beautiful and perfectly executed, covered boxes such as these would have held a variety of small objects in a wealthy household.