道成寺能蒔絵印籠|Inrō with the Noh Play Dōjōji (obverse) and Flowering Cherry Tree (reverse)
Unknown Artist
mid-19th century
Medium
Four cases; lacquered wood with gold, silver, color hiramaki-e, togidashimaki-e on gold ground Netsuke: treasure ship with seven gods of good fortune; ivory Ojime: wood bead
Dimensions
3 1/4 x 2 3/16 x 3/4 in. (8.3 x 5.6 x 1.9 cm)
Classification
Inrō
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo (1615–1868) or Meiji (1868–1912) period
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
29.100.861
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *inrō*, a compact lacquered case from mid-19th-century Japan (do or early Meiji period), served as a fashionable accessory for carrying personal items like medicines or seals. Suspended from a kimono sash via a cord secured by an ivory netsuke and wooden ojime bead, it the refined craftsmanship of the era. The netsuke depicts a treasure ship brimming with the Seven Gods of Good Fortune—Ebisu, Daikoku, and others—symbolizing prosperity protection, a whimsical touch to an otherwise elegant ensemble. The obverse features scenes from the famed Noh play *Dōjōji*, depicting dramatic ...