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Picnic box

1800-1900

Asian Art Museum

Asian Art Museum
San Francisco, United States

This picnic box coated in red lacquer is composed of three stacked boxes, to separate the array of food served at a meal or a picnic. The work is decorated with colorful floral motifs and auspicious symbols, including the Chinese characters shou (longevity) and kang (health), an image of a crane, and a vase with the inscription “poetry and wine.” Accompanied by a bamboo handle and knotted silk cords, this lightweight box is meant to be carried with one hand, unlike other types of portable dessert or lunch boxes that required both hands (pengsihe).

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  • Title: Picnic box
  • Date Created: 1800-1900
  • Location Created: China
  • Physical Dimensions: H. 17 3/8 in x W. 14 3/4 in x D. 8 1/8 in, H. 44.4 cm x W. 37.6 cm x D. 20.8 cm
  • Rights: Public Domain
  • Medium: Lacquer and gold paint on wood and bamboo with plied and knotted silk cords
  • Credit Line: Asian Art Museum, Bequest of Michel D. Weill, B85M2
Asian Art Museum

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