Marbled Paper Square Lacquer Box

A Met Museum souvenir for the home or office.

The centuries-old practice of marbling paper yields astounding patterns, such as the workshop demonstration paper showing Palm, Flame, Curl, and Octopus motifs derived from a Chevron base (2018) by Regina St. John, featured on this lacquer box. Some marbled designs are spontaneous, others are controlled; and while techniques vary between cultures, marbling typically refers to a method of transferring colors from the surface of a water bath onto a piece of paper. This tradition is carried forth by the contemporary artists represented in The Paper Legacy Project, an initiative spearheaded by the Museum’s Thomas J. Watson Library to preserve and promote the “Golden Age” of American decorated paper.

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