桐九曜紋蒔絵乱箱|Clothing Tray (Midare-bako) with Paulownia and “Nine Stars” Crests

Unknown

late 16th century · Lacquered wood with gold, silver hiramaki-e and e-nashiji (“pear-skin picture”) on black ground · Asian Art

The midarebako—a shallow traylike box used to temporarily hold folded clothing and small accessories—developed from a Heian-period (794–1185) predecessor. It was typically used when dressing or changing, for keeping things nearby at night, or while women arranged their hair. The shape indicates that larger boxes’ lids might originally have been used for the same purpose. This Kōdaiji-style version is embellished with maki-e paulownia crests associated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and nine-orb (kuyō) crests used predominately by the Hosokawa family.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 16th century

Medium

Lacquered wood with gold, silver hiramaki-e and e-nashiji (“pear-skin picture”) on black ground

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015