Length: 9.000 cm
Bequeathed by Oscar Raphael
Asia JA 1945.10-17.403
Lacquer inrō
From Japan
Momoyama
period, late 16th century AD
Gold makie over a black lacquer ground
This purse-shaped
inrō has three
compartments and a subtle design of boats on a river with
chrysanthemums. The technique for the relief work is a variant of
It is said that this inrō once belonged to the Regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536/7-98), one of the military leaders who brought about the unification of Japan in the late sixteenth century.
L. Smith, V. Harris and T. Clark, Japanese art: masterpieces in (London, The British Museum Press, 1990)
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Japanese art from the Edo period , £9.99