30 Items in this Learning Collection
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Copyright
All Rights Reserved ()

Plate with Floral Design, one of five

Accession Number
1968/2.60

Title
Plate with Floral Design, one of five

Artist(s)
Shibata Zeshin

Object Creation Date
circa 1879-1890

Medium & Support
clear lacquer over gold leaf and polychrome lacquer painting on paper

Dimensions
3 3/4 in. x 3 13/16 in. ( 9.5 cm x 9.7 cm )

Credit Line
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

Label copy
The flowers depicted in these delicate works - literally made of layers of papers - are five of the "seven grasses of autumn," a favorite motif in Japanese decorative arts for centuries. Here, they are exquisitely painted in colored lacquer on plates of gold leaf by one of the great geniuses if Japanese design, Shibata Zeshin. The unexpected contrast of the quiet, natural plant motifs against the glittering square of gold is typical of Zeshin's work.
exhibited summer 2010

Subject matter
Chinese bellflowers and pampas grass are two of the “seven grasses of autumn,” a favorite motif in Japanese decorative arts for centuries. This set of lacquer plates showcases a different autumn flower on each.

Physical Description
Autumn flowers are painted in colored lacquer on plates of gold leaf. The quiet, natural plant motifs stand out against the glittering square of gold.

Primary Object Classification
Decorative Arts

Primary Object Type
lacquer

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
autumn
flowers (plant components)
gold (metal)
plates (timepiece components)

1 Related Resource

Zeshin
(Part of: Many Voices)

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted

On display

UMMA Gallery Location ➜ FFW, 2nd floor ➜ 216 (Japanese Gallery)