Tray

This tray’s decorative elements possess symbolic meaning in Japanese culture. The dragonfly, ubiquitous in Tiffany’s Japanesque designs, represents the country itself—called "Land of the Dragonfly" because the archipelago resembles the insect’s shape. The maple leaf evokes momiji-gari, the ritual of viewing autumn leaves. The composition relates closely to the Tiffany vase and Japanese brush holder near the entry to this gallery. Moore and his staff did not simply copy Japanese wares but further developed their designs by studying nature; a note on the drawing for the tray indicates "wings of dragonfly engraved from natural ones." Tiffany exhibited this example of Moore’s engagement with Japanese design and mixed metals at the 1878 Paris Exposition.