Suzuribako met deksel
1700 - 1800
Medium
wood (plant material)
Dimensions
21; 23; 4.5
About this artwork
Bruikleen van de Koninklijke Vereniging van Vrienden der Aziatische Kunst (legaat Westendorp-Osieck, 1968)
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of Edo-period Japan1603–1868) with thisSuzuribako metksel*, a compact writing box dating from 1700–1800. Crafted by skilled artisans, suzuribako were essential portable desk sets for scholars, calligraphers, and samurai, holding an inkstone, inkstick, brushes, and water container within their lidded confines. Measuring just 4.5 cm high by 21 × 23 cm, its modest size belied its role as a status symbol, embodying the era's emphasis on wabi-sabi aesthetics—subtle beauty in simplicity and functionality. Constructed from wood (a plant material prized for its workability...
About the Artist
anonymous
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...