Two Dishes
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.Made from tree sap, lacquer was one of the earliest inventions of East Asia. Its use in southeast China can be traced to the Neolithic period. Although raw lacquer is toxic, it is harmless when dry, and its remarkable resistance to water, acid, and heat makes it ideal for culinary utensils.
This group represents a set of tablewares for individual use, reflecting dining etiquette of the Han period. Each person had his or her own low table on which a tray of vessels for food and drink was placed. Guests did not sit around one large table, as they do today.
This group represents a set of tablewares for individual use, reflecting dining etiquette of the Han period. Each person had his or her own low table on which a tray of vessels for food and drink was placed. Guests did not sit around one large table, as they do today.
Artwork Details
- 西汉 “君幸食”铭漆盘 (二件）
- Title: Two Dishes
- Period: Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE)
- Date: 2nd century BC
- Culture: China
- Medium: Lacquer over wood
- Dimensions: H. 1 1/16 in. (2.7 cm); Diam. 7 1/16 in. (18 cm)
H. 15/16 in. (2.4 cm): Diam. 7 1/16 in. (18 cm) - Classification: Lacquer
- Credit Line: Lent by Hunan Provincial Museum
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art