Sutra Box

anonymous, c. 1200 - c. 1400

This box was used for storing sutras, Buddhist scriptures. Such boxes were made in court workshops. The whole surface is covered with mother-of-pearl and copper-wire inlay. However, the decoration of the lower section differs from the rest, suggesting that the box was repaired and enlarged. This may have been done in Japan, where the box was purchased in the early 20th century.

  • Artwork typebox
  • Object numberAK-MAK-178
  • Dimensionsheight 34 cm x width 49.5 cm x depth 27.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicswood, lacquer, mother-of-pearl, silver

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Sutra box
    • Sutra Box

  • Object type

  • Object number

    AK-MAK-178

  • Description

    Kist voor het bewaren van Sutra`s. Lakwerk ingelegd met parelmoer.

Creation

  • Creation

    anonymous, Korea

  • Dating

    c. 1200 - c. 1400

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  • School / Style

Material and technique

  • Physical description

    wood, lacquer, mother-of-pearl, silver

  • Dimensions

    height 34 cm x width 49.5 cm x depth 27.5 cm

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    On loan from the Royal Asian Art Society in The Netherlands (purchase auction collection Mensing, 1937)

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    …; collection Dr A. Breuer, after 1918;{Note RMA.}…; sale, Amsterdam (F. Muller), December 1923, no. 315;{Note RMA.: possibly unsold}…; collection Anton W.M. Mensing (1866-1936);{Note RMA.}…; sale, (section Mensing), 23-25 November 1937, no. 319, fl. 400, by the Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst;{Note RMA.} from whom on loan to the museum, 1972

Documentation

    • Jan van Campen, 'Een nieuw collectieboek', Aziatische Kunst 45 (2014) nr. 2, p. 54, afb. 3.
    • Carolien van Es, 'Restauratie van Koreaanse Soetrakist', Aziatische Kunst 45 (2014) nr. 1, p. 30-37.
    • Jaarverslag van de conservatoren over 2014, uit: Aziatische Kunst : mededelingenblad van de Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst, 45, 2015, 3, pagina 49-53 - p. 49
    • J. Fontein, R. Hempel, 'China, Japan, Korea', in: Propyläen Kunstgeschichte Bd. 17, Berlin 1968, Abb. 225.
    • Lewis R. Lancaster, The Korean Buddhist canon : a descriptive catalogue, London,1979, p. 323.
    • Commentaar van Okada Jo, Museum, Tokyo (1960) jan., p. 30.
    • J. Fontein, 'Koreanische Lackkunst der Yi-Zeit', in: Koreanioca, Festschrift prof. dr. Andre Eckhardt, Baden-Baden, 1960, p. 77-84.
    • J. Fontein, 'Notes on Korean lacquer', Bulletin van de Veereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische kunst (3e serie) (1956) 6, p. 88-93.
    • B. von Ragné, Zu Chinesischen Perlmuttlacken des 14 Jahrhunderts', Artibus Asiae 12/3 (1976), p. 128-138, fig. 2.
    • John Figess, Another of pearl inlaid lacquer of the Koryo dynasty, Oriental Art (1977) 1, p. 87-95, fig. 6.

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