Inro, Ojime and Netsuke

Date18th 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. Although this inrо̄ is unsigned and unattributed, its design is informed by pictures of the Rinpa school of artists, a loose affiliation of painters and other artists that can be traced back to the early 1600s

Object number52.133

ProvenanceThomas D. Stimson; Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1952

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Refined Harmony: Decorative Arts from the Edo Period, March 7, 2003 - March 23, 2004.Published ReferencesFuller, Richard E. Japanese Art in the Seattle Art Museum: An Historical Sketch. Seattle, WA: Seattle Art Museum, 1960 ("Presented in commemoration of the Hundredth Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and the United States of America"), no. 191.

Credit LineThomas D. Stimson Memorial Collection

Dimensions1 7/8 x 1 1/8 x 5/8 in. (4.76 x 2.86 x 1.59 cm)

MediumCase (inro): Wood, lacquer, gold, and lead or pewter inlay; Fastener (ojime): Dyed nut; Toggle (netsuke): Wood, lacquer, gold