Inro decorated with a court lady, ojime, and netsuke
Date19th century
Maker
Japanese
Label TextInro are containers for small personal items such as seals and herbal medicines. Japanese men of the Edo period (1603–1868) wore them hanging on the obi (sash) of their kimono. The small bead called ojime tightens the inro’s cord. Netsuke, intricately carved toggles, were attached at the end of the cord to prevent the inro from slipping through the obi. By the eighteenth century, both inro and netsuke had become more elaborate and decorative and were commissioned by merchants, samurai, and others who could afford them.
Object number35.106
Photo CreditPhoto: Elizabeth Mann
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.Credit LineDuncan MacTavish Fuller Memorial Collection
Dimensions.a H.: 3 5/8 in.
.a W.: 1 7/8 in.
.a D.: 1 1/16 in.
.b Diam.: 1 3/8 in.
MediumGold and lacquer
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