Case (Inrō) with Design of Heron in Flight and Flowering Plant (obverse); Hawk Attacking a Crane (reverse)
19th century
Medium
Colored togidashi and gold hiramaki-e on black lacquer
Dimensions
3 5/16 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/16 in. (8.4 x 6.4 x 2.7 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
29.100.832
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite inrō or portable case, was created by renowned Japanese lacquer artist Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuō) during the Edo period. Inrō served as elegant accessories for carrying small items like medicine or seals suspended from a sash by a cord and netsuke toggle. Measuring just over three inches tall, this compact object showcases the refined craftsmanship of 19th-century Japan, where functional items became miniature canvases for artistic expression. The case features dynamic bird imagery rendered in colored togidashi and gold hiramaki-e on black lacquer. One side depicts a heron in fligh...