菊唐草葵紋蒔絵掛硯箱|Portable Writing Cabinet with Tokugawa Family Crests, Chrysanthemums, and Foliage Scrolls

Kōami School

late 17th century · Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and applied gold foil on nashiji ground · Asian Art

This portable writing box has three drawers; the two upper ones are for paper and documents, while the one at the bottom holds the inkstone, water dropper, and brushes. The cabinet is elaborately decorated with the highest quality maki-e (“sprinkled pictures”). It was produced for the Tokugawa family in one of their official maki-e workshops, probably that of the Kōami family. The chrysanthemum flowers are depicted almost individually, each executed in a different hue or maki-e (flat or relief pattern) technique emphasizing the layered petal structure. Some of the flowers are shown frontally, others from the side or the back. Chrysanthemums, which represent both longevity and autumn, are often featured in classical Japanese poetry.

Artist

Kōami School

Date

late 17th century

Medium

Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and applied gold foil on nashiji ground

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881