Lacquer Samples
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Lacquer
Dimensions
H. 4 11/16 in. (11.9 cm); W. 1 1/2 in. (3.81 cm)
Classification
Miscellaneous
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1923
Accession Number
23.214.19–.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
These delicate *Lacquer Samples* from 19th-century Japan offer a glimpse into the exquisite craftsmanship of urushi lacquerware, a revered art form perfected over centuries. Measuring just 4 11/16 inches high and 1 1/2 inches wide, these small rectangular pieces showcase intricate motifs of birds, insects, and butterflies—common symbols in Japanese art evoking the beauty of nature, seasonal change, and fleeting life. Collected via the Rogers Fund in 1923, they now reside in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armor Department, hinting at their possible use in decorating samurai armor, sw...