The ancient, square Chinese tray is one of the fine examples of lacquered artistry at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s museums of Asian Art. Its dark black lacquered center, surrounded with an elegant bamboo basketry design edged with mother of pearl inlay, seems almost modern.
Still, something didn’t seem quite right about the sleek object, dating to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and donated in 1986 from the estate of an influential design editor. “Once I started looking at it,” says curator of Chinese art Jan Stuart, “I felt it was very unusual that something of the 17th century in China would have this kind of undecorated center.”
