Case (Inrō) with Design of Daruma (obverse); Fly Whisk and Scepter (reverse)
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Lacquer, red, textile background, gold, silver and black hiramakie, takamakie; Interior: roiro and fundame
Dimensions
2 3/16 x 1 3/4 x 9/16 in. (5.6 x 4.4 x 1.5 cm)
Classification
Inrō
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.842
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 19th-century Japanese *inrō*, a compact lacquer case from the Edo period (161–1868), served as a portable container for medicines, seals, or tobacco, suspended from the belt via a netsuke and cord. Measuring just over 2 inches tall, its diminutive size belies its masterful craftsmanship, reflecting the refined artistry of urban Edo culture where such accessories were status symbols for samurai and merchants alike. The obverse features Daruma, the legendary Zen Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, depicted in dynamic pose amid a textile-like background, while the reverse shows a fly whisk...