雲龍庵(北村辰夫)作　秋月蒔絵硯箱|Writing Box (Suzuribako) with Autumn Grasses and Moon

Unryūan (Kitamura Tatsuō)

2014 · Lacquered wood with gold takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, togidashimaki-e, cut-out gold foil application, and mother-of-pearl inlay · Asian Art

The exterior of the lid is decorated with ampas grass executed in relief (takamaki-e) nd flat (hiramaki-e) “sprinkled picture” gold ecoration as wll as fine mother-of-pearl nlay. The interior is embellished with the esign of an autumn moon partially covered by clouds. A separate wood plate (suzuri-ita) for calligraphy paper completes the writing box. On the evening of the September full moon, it is still customary in Japan to gather and serve round rice dumplings and sake as offerings to invoke an abundant harvest. The custom of the mid-autumn moon viewing originated in China; during the Heian period (794–1185), Japanese aristocrats gathered to recite poetry under the full moon of the eighth lunar month.

Artist

Unryūan (Kitamura Tatsuō)

Date

2014

Medium

Lacquered wood with gold takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, togidashimaki-e, cut-out gold foil application, and mother-of-pearl inlay

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Pauline Gandel, 2016