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Rectangular tray
Rectangular tray

Rectangular tray

Place of Originpossibly Foochow area, China; possibly Foochow area
Date1250 - 1350
PeriodSouthern Song period (1127 - 1279)
DynastySouthern Song period (1127 - 1279) or Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368)
MaterialsBlack lacquer with mother-of-pearl inlay
DimensionsOverall: H. 1 3/16 in × W, 12 1/2 in × D. 3 5/16 in (3 cm × 31.8 cm × 8.4 cm)
Mount: 12 in × 3 1/2 in × 1 1/2 in (30.5 cm × 8.9 cm × 3.8 cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object numberB77M18
DepartmentChinese Art
ClassificationsLacquerware
On View
Not on view
Text Entries
The image on this tray of a boy emerging from a lotus with its many seeds expresses the wish for many sons. The Chinese word for “lotus seeds” sounds like “continuously having sons,” adding to the meaning of the visual pun. Images of single children in art emerged in the Song period (960–1279).