Case (Inrō) with Design of Horses among Cherry Blossom Trees
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Lacquer, nashiji, gold, silver, black and brown hiramakie, takamakie; Interior: nashiji and fundame
Dimensions
3 3/8 x 2 7/16 x 13/16 in. (8.5 x 6.2 x 2.1 cm)
Classification
Inrō
Culture
Japan
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
Accession Number
36.100.193
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Inrō*, or lacquer case, from 18th–19th Japan, showcases the refined artistry of the Edo period. Measuring just over 3 inches tall, these portable containers were essential accessories for samurai and merchants, suspended from the belt via a silk cord, netsuke toggle, and ojime bead to hold medicines, seals, or tobacco. Adorned with galloping horses amid blooming cherry trees, it captures a dynamic scene of nature's fleeting beauty—cherry blossoms evoking *mono no aware*, the poignant impermanence central to Japanese aesthetics. Crafted by an unknown master, the piece employs s...