Rectangular tray with landscape design

In this fine lacquer tray, the artisan created a literati-style landscape by filling in elaborate mother-of-pearl inlay on dark lacquer. Here, a group of three travelers, the first of whom carries a zither, stand on a bridge; they proceed toward a mountain villa to attend a gathering for tea and music. The mountains themselves intertwine in great lengths, alluding to the solemn vastness of nature and its endless possibilities. While the imagery is relatively flat, there is still a sense of depth as larger mountains on the left gradually become smaller as they extend to the right.