若松南天蒔絵色紙箱|Box for Square Calligraphy Paper (shikishi-bako) with an Auspicious Landscape of Young Pines and Nandina Shrubs

Unknown

second half of the 19th century · Lacquered wood with gold, silver, red hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, cutout gold foil application on black and nashiji lacquer ground · Asian Art

Shikishi—decorative, square-shaped poem cards—are used for calligraphy or painting. The paper is usually decorated with gold or silver flakes and has a printed or painted design that will serve as the background to the calligraphy. As they are precious calligraphy items, square-shaped lacquer boxes (shikishi-bako) were made to store them. This shikishi-box represents a landscape with young pines and nandina shrubs. The young pines symbolize the renewal of nature and longevity, while the evergreen “heavenly bamboo,” the nandina, bears red berries that ripen in late autumn and persist through the winter.

Artist

Unknown

Date

second half of the 19th century

Medium

Lacquered wood with gold, silver, red hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, cutout gold foil application on black and nashiji lacquer ground

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881