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Source Description
In China, the chrysanthemum was historically appreciated for its association with the Double Nine Festival and the reclusive life of the poet Tao Yuanming (AD 365-427). In Japan, the 16-petaled chrysanthemum came to symbolize the Japanese imperial family after Emperor Gotoba (1180-1239) chose the motif as his personal emblem, having it applied to his sword and everyday utensils. This box proves that the flower also appeared on lacquer wares as early as the Kamakura period.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
139744
label
Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums (lid)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
139744
contentType
object
title
Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums (lid)
description
In China, the chrysanthemum was historically appreciated for its association with the Double Nine Festival and the reclusive life of the poet Tao Yuanming (AD 365-427). In Japan, the 16-petaled chrysanthemum came to symbolize the Japanese imperial family after Emperor Gotoba (1180-1239) chose the motif as his personal emblem, having it applied to his sword and everyday utensils. This box proves that the flower also appeared on lacquer wares as early as the Kamakura period.
date
early 1300s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q80037121
genreSpecific
Lacquer
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 17.6 x 29 x 22.8 cm (6 15/16 x 11 7/16 x 9 in.)
cul
Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333)
accession
1963.513.b
Source extras
tec
lacquer on wood
tombstone
Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums (lid) (菊蒔絵手箱（蓋）), early 1300s. Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333). Lacquer on wood; overall: 17.6 x 29 x 22.8 cm (6 15/16 x 11 7/16 x 9 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1963.513.b
titleInOriginalLanguage
菊蒔絵手箱（蓋）
collection
Japanese Art
didYouKnow
In Japanese, this type of small box is called a <em>tebako</em>, literally a hand box, and was typically part of a cosmetics set.
citations
citation
"Oriental Art Recently Acquired by American Museums, 1963." <em>Archives of the Chinese Art Society of America</em> 18 (1964): pp. 69-91.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 73, fig. 15
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 275
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 275
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 371
citation
Lee, Sherman E, Ursula Korneitchouk, Michael R Cunningham, Ursula Korneitchouk, Cleveland Museum of Art, Japan House Gallery, Japan Society (New York, N.Y.), and Japan House Gallery. <em>One Thousand Years of Japanese Art (650-1650): From the Cleveland Museum of Art: Catalogue</em>. New York: Japan Society, 1981.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 39, no. 18
citation
Sŏn, Sŭng-hye. <em>The Lure of Painted Poetry: Japanese and Korean Art</em>. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2011.
page_number
cat. no. 40
creditline
John L. Severance Fund
sketchfabId
eff8c3de91284c13a4ba4361616112d2
updatedAt
2026-06-18 21:17:32.721000
sourceId
139744
dept
Japanese Art
coll
Japanese Art
med
lacquer on wood
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
0545e87dac7b63c0