Red lacquer foliated dish

Southern Song dynasty, 13th century
Diameter: 21 cm | 8 1/4 in

Click image for full-size version

Eight lobed, with a foliated rim and undulating shallow sides, the dish is scooped out on the inside in the form of lotus petals – its circular base recessed and lacquered brown. Plain, but striking in its rich red colour and organic form, the dish is given delicacy by the thinness of its wood body. The contours are precisely executed, rendering a pared down simplicity.

Similar example: Oriental Lacquer Art by Lee Yu-kuan, published by John Weatherhill, New York, 1972 – plate 52.