12. Mother of Pearl Inlaid Square Lacquer Tray
Late Yuan or early Ming dynasty, 14th - early 15th century
17.8cm x 17.8cm square
By the late Yuan to early Ming period, lacquerware, including complex inlaid mother of pearl work, had reached both technical sophistication and great artistic heights, as can be seen on this square lacquer tray. Characteristic features of the period include using the willow tree and rocky outcrops to punctuate the scene, the full-frontal gaze of one of the horses, as well as the fineness of the inlay pieces. From the Yuan dynasty, artisans were using very thinly sliced pieces of shell and in some cases enhancing the iridescence by tinting the underside.
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