Covered box with cloud-head design

With its elaborate decoration and form, this round box exemplifies the remarkable craftsmanship of carved marbled lacquerware of the Ming dynasty. The surface design represents the signature motif on this kind of lacquerware. The hybrid pattern symbolizes both clouds and the lingzhi magical fungus. Clouds, or yunqi, represent the essential energy of the universe, while the lingzhi motif symbolizes longevity. The multi-lobed forms and close tolerances between the lid and body presents challenges for the carpenters who created the cores. X-rays of the lacquer reveal that, instead of a single block, the cores are made of multiple pieces of wood carefully joined to create the shape.