虎蒔絵印籠 銘近秀|Inrō with Tiger Drinking from a River beside Rocks and Pine Tree
Unknown Artist
early 19th century
Medium
Two cases; lacquered wood with gold and silver togidashimaki-e, hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, cut-out gold foil application on black ground Netsuke: bat; carved walrus ivory Ojime: coral bead
Dimensions
2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 15/16 in. (6.4 x 6.4 x 2.4 cm)
Classification
Inrō
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.67.11
Tags
Art Historical Context
This stunning *Inrō with Tiger Drinking from a River beside Rocks and Pine Tree*, signed by the artist Chikashige, dates to the early 19th century during Japan's Edo period (1615–1868). Inrō were elegant portable cases, typically holding medicines or seals, suspended from a kimono sash via a cord secured by an ojime bead and anchored by a netsuke toggle. Worn by samurai and merchants alike, they evolved from practical items into fashionable accessories, reflecting the era's prosperity and love for refined craftsmanship. The two lacquered wood cases feature a black ground alive with a majestic...