Bidspirit auction | Jiajing Period, Ming Dynasty, Black

Jiajing Period, Ming Dynasty, Black Lacquer with Gold-Dragon Pattern Large Box - The box is fashioned in the form of overlapping chrysanthemum petals. It is coated throughout in lustrous black lacquer, against which designs are painted in brilliant gold lacquer, creating a striking contrast. The central panel on the cover features a five-clawed dragon in bold relief, soaring above waves and rocky outcrops; its powerful body is coiled in dynamic motion, claws fully extended, amid swirling clouds, with a longevity character emblem held above the dragon’s head. Following the lobed contour of the cover, each petal segment is painted with a blossoming spray of flowers and foliage, symmetrically arranged. The body of the box mirrors the lid’s lobed form, with corresponding panels painted in gilt with flowering branches and foliage, each bloom rendered with delicate veining and flowing outlines. The box is large and imposing in shape, its petal-lobed contours sharply defined; the lacquer ground is smooth and glossy, the gilded painting executed with exceptional precision and refinement, the overall design balanced, opulent and stately.