Case (Inrō) with Design of Thatched Building in Hilly Landscape with Trees and Waves with Nestuke of Thatched Building in a Landscape
Unknown Artist
second half 18th century
Medium
Lacquered wood with gold, silver maki-e, cut-out gold foil
Dimensions
H. 3 7/16 in. (8.8 cm); W. 1 7/8 in. (4.8 cm); D. 1 5/16 in. (3.4 cm)
Classification
Inrō
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881
Accession Number
81.1.304
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *inrō* (lacquer case) from Japan's Edo period (1615–1868), to the second half of 18th century, the era's mastery of lacquerware craftsmanship. Worn suspended from a kimono sash via silk cords and secured by its matching netsuke toggle, the inrō served as a practical yet elegant container for medicines, seals, or tobacco, reflecting the refined tastes of samurai, merchants, and townsfolk during a time of peace and cultural flourishing. The case, crafted from wood and adorned with intricate maki-e—gold and silver powders sprinkled into wet lacquer—features a serene hilly landscap...