鹿蝶々蒔絵料紙箱|Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Deer and Butterflies

Unknown

17th century · Lacquered wood with gold takamaki‑e, hiramaki‑e, togidashimaki‑e, mother‑of‑pearl inlay, and silver foil application · Asian Art

This document box is embellished with seasonal motifs: the butterflies represent spring, and the deer is a symbol of autumn. The lid is decorated with an autumn landscape featuring large ferns. Deer were favored as design elements by Rinpa lacquer artists, but they had been represented in Japanese lacquer art since the medieval period. Autumn landscapes with deer were popular painting subjects in the Edo period.

Artist

Unknown

Date

17th century

Medium

Lacquered wood with gold takamaki‑e, hiramaki‑e, togidashimaki‑e, mother‑of‑pearl inlay, and silver foil application

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2015