A superbly carved large cinnabar lacquer 'peony' box and cover, Mark and period of Yongle | 明永樂 剔紅纏枝牡丹紋大圓蓋盒 《大明永樂年製》款

A superbly carved large cinnabar lacquer 'peony' box and cover,

Mark and period of Yongle

明永樂 剔紅纏枝牡丹紋大圓蓋盒 《大明永樂年製》款

of circular form, superbly carved on the top and around the sides through thick layers of red lacquer to reveal the ochre-yellow ground, the flat top carved with five large peony blooms and four smaller ones shown in various stages of maturity and wreathed by dense foliage, the blooms purposefully laid out across the space and detailed with fine and crisply incised veins, the sides of the cover and box bordered by composite floral bands consisting of peonies and chrysanthemums, the interior and base lacquered black, incised with a vertical six-character reign mark on the left side of the base, Japanese wood box

d. 31.5 cm, overall h. 9 cm