Images(2)

Inro: Gold lacquer with silver flower

Dateearly 19th century

Label TextIn early modern Japan, men suspended small containers (inrō) for carrying personal items (such as herbs and seals) over the sashes of their robes using a toggle (netsuke) connected by silk cords held by a fastener (ojime). All these items were made of a diversity of materials, were often elaborately carved and decorated, and offered the wearer an opportunity for self-expression. Inrō were commonly commissioned and might feature designs made or inspired by leading artists of the day. Sakai Hо̄itsu, the artist to whom this inrо̄ is traditionally attributed, was an artist of the Rinpa lineage. He zestfully studied the works of the earlier artists Ogata Kо̄rin (1658–1716), the rin of whose name inspired the name of the school, as well as his brother Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743).

Object number55.50

ProvenanceCourtright House, Inc.; Duncan MacTavish Fuller; Seattle Art Musem, Seattle, Washington, 1955

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Fall and Winter in Japan, October 22, 2002 - February 23, 2003. Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Refined Harmony: Decorative Arts from the Edo Period, March 7, 2003 - March 23, 2004. Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Going For Gold, November 3, 2012 - December 8, 2013.

Credit LineDr. Duncan MacTavish Fuller

Dimensions2 3/4 x 1 7/8 x 3/4 in. (6.99 x 4.76 x 1.91 cm)

MediumCase (inro): Wood, lacquer, gold, and silver; Toggle (netsuke): Possibly cast copper alloy with gilding