Chinese Lacquer Pillow

A bright red lacquered block that dips in the middle like a yawn.

This lacquerware pillow is from Shanxi Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. Shanxi Province in northern China has a long history of craft production, including lacquer, woodwork and ceramics made for household and market use. A rectangular piece with a concave top and softly rounded corners, painted a clear tomato red along the sides and black at both ends. The finish is smooth and glossy with faint streaks and a slightly worn edge. It is 11 inches wide, 4.25 deep and 3.25 high.

It sags in the middle on purpose, and gracefully.