MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)

Details

A Lacquer Writing Box (Suzuribako)
Meiji Period (Late 19th Century)
Decorated on the cover with a large recessed roundel of black, gold and hirame lacquer inlaid in lead with the figure of the poet Hitomaro seated at a table writing a poem, the foliate patterns of his robe and writing implements gold lacquer and the border of the roundel a band of inlaid silver, the surrounding background on the lid and on the sides roiro, hirame and nashiji; the interior of the box lacquered in gold in low relief with the characters of a poem which begin on the underside of the lid and end on the lower interior, also ornamented in gold takamaki-e with togidashi details with a flowering plum and fence of mokume togidashi on which is perched a bush warbler of inlaid gilt-metal, the grounds of the lower interior and the underside of the cover nashiji; fitted with a rectangular inkstone lacquered in nashiji on the sides and base and with a silver mizuire cast as two joined morning glories in a silver and gilded silver tray, and with two brushes in roiro and hirame cases, base nashiji
9½ x 8.5/8 x 1¾in. (24.3 x 22 x 4.5cm.)

Special notice

On occasion, Christie’s has a direct financial interest in lots consigned for sale. This interest may include guaranteeing a minimum price to the consignor which is secured solely by consigned property. This is such a lot.

Lot Essay

The design on this box is a poem-picture (uta-e) in the classical tradition. On the cover, the eighth-century poet Kakinomoto Hitomaro leans on his writing desk as he composes a poem. The plum blossoms featured on the underside of the lid are a pictorialization of the first line of the poem, the remainder of which is written out in cursive script.

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