A Mottled Cinnabar Lacquered Box In The Form Of A Pumpkin, Burma

Of striking sculptural presence, the box is conceived as a naturalistic pumpkin, its lobed body surmounted by a curving stem, the surface worked in a mottled cinnabar and black lacquer that accentuates its depth and form. The extraordinary marriage of natural subject matter with refined technique elevates the piece from a functional vessel into an object of artistry, its tactile surface and bold silhouette imbuing it with a near-sculptural autonomy.

Originating in Burma, likely in the Pagan region, this work reflects the longstanding lacquer traditions of Southeast Asia, where organic forms were often translated into richly decorative and symbolic vessels. The pumpkin, associated with fecundity and abundance, here becomes a vessel of elegance and refinement. Comparable examples are preserved in museum collections, including one in the British Museum (Isaacs & Blurton, 2000, p. 225), underscoring the rarity and cultural resonance of such pieces.

With its bold contours and dramatic finish, this lacquered box is as compelling to the modern eye as it would have been in its own day — an object that bridges the worlds of art and utility, and one that would hold its own as much in a contemporary interior as in a collection of Asian decorative arts.